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A row of townhouses with gardens lines a canal, where a narrowboat is moored among trees and greenery.

Life by the canal – Primrose Hill townhouse renovation

Home › Case Studies › Life by the canal – Primrose Hill townhouse renovation

Roof lightstheEDGE2.0

When the owners of this Victorian home in the heart of Primrose Hill in London bought the property, they knew it needed attention, but didn’t fully appreciate just how extensive the restoration would become. As the project unfolded, it grew into a complete renovation driven not by necessity, but by our desire to return the property to its original character while introducing carefully considered contemporary elements.

 

Restoring the past, designing for the future

A significant amount of time at the start of the project was spent identifying companies capable of offering a comprehensive restoration solution, with the technical capabilities of working in an incredible tight location and difficult logistics.

Working closely with Sher + White Architects, it quickly became clear that the key transformation to the house was at the rear, opening it up across the full width to provide a better connection between the house, the garden and Regents Canal.

Not only providing a better connection benefit the house, but more natural light and a layout that would support an open plan living space would be possible. Creating that connection relied entirely on choosing the right glazing solution – and full-width sliding doors became central to the design.

Choosing sliding doors over bifolds

With the main goal of integrating the garden with the interior living area the owners considered bifolds, but realised they wouldn’t deliver the seamless inside-outside flow they really envisioned. Sliding doors, on the other hand, offered flexibility: fully retractable or partially open depending on how we wanted to use the space.

Now, the dining area extends out toward an outdoor dining terrace, blurring the boundaries between inside and out and genuinely feels as though the garden has become part of the house – and the house part of the garden.

Reimagining the lower ground floor

The lower ground floor, where the kitchen now sits, was originally a series of small, disconnected rooms. Opening this level up created a functional, social space that combines modern living with the charm of the Victorian structure. Throughout the renovation, the owners aimed to balance contemporary design with original period features, achieving a home that feels both modern and authentic.

A unique waterside setting

The property backs onto Regents Canal, offering something quite rare for a North London home: direct water garden access. It’s one of the main reasons that the owners had fallen in love with the house, and our renovation choices were made to fully embrace this unique setting.

Discovering IDSystems and theEDGE2.0 solution

Once the plans were approved, the glazing strategy became a priority.

“We explored a huge number of suppliers, but theEDGE2.0 system from IDSystems caught our attention. We went up to Norfolk to visit the showroom to have a look in person, and immediately knew it was right for the project.”

The ultra-slim 20mm sightlines were exactly what was required. The clean, uninterrupted connection to the garden and canal was essential and the doors helped deliver that.

Precision engineering and a seamless installation

One of the more challenging aspects of the build was the coordination and installation of the large glass sliders and the walk-on glass rooflights. Whilst other elements of the build were able to use the canal for access and deliveries by barge, the size of the glass and the number of low bridges on the canal ruled that out as an option for the glazing – therefore the glass and frames had to be lifted by crane over the three storey town-house from the road at the front.

Despite the complexity, the process was handled professionally from delivery through installation, with the sliding door panels dropped through the rooflight before being installed.

The end result

Today, the house honours its Victorian origins while embracing modern, open-plan living. theEDGE2.0 sliding doors have transformed how we experience the home – flooding it with natural light, creating fluid transitions between spaces, and celebrating the unique canal-side location that inspired the project in the first place.

Location: Primrose Hill, London
Architects: Sher + White Architects
Interior designers: Farrell Design Studio
Architectural Consultants: Turvey Development Consultants
Photos: Chris Taylor Photography

Gallery

A modern townhouse with a landscaped garden, featuring a concrete path leading to a dining area inside glass doors at the back of the house.
A riverside view of residential buildings with gardens, patios, and two boats docked along the water.
Modern outdoor patio with beige sectional sofas, a wooden coffee table holding a candle and plant, surrounded by lush greenery and trees in a landscaped garden setting.
A modern open-plan dining area with a long table and wooden chairs opens onto a garden patio through large sliding glass doors. Plants decorate the space indoors and outdoors.
Aerial view of a row of townhouses along a canal with trees and greenery, set against a city skyline in the background.
Modern home with a large glass sliding door opening to a patio and garden, featuring a dining table with wooden chairs and indoor plants.
Modern house with large sliding glass doors open to a patio, revealing a dining area with a long table, chairs, plants, and artwork inside. Two lounge chairs sit outside.
A modern lounge with a bar area, glassware, and bottles on shelves, two plush chairs, framed photos on the wall, and a view into an adjacent room with a large sofa.
Modern home bar with a copper countertop, glassware, bottles of wine and spirits on shelves, two coffee machines, and a large copper bowl on the top shelf.
A modern living room with a large light grey corner sofa, black and green cushions, butterfly art on the wall, plants, and a view of the garden through glass doors.
Modern kitchen with dark cabinets, white marble countertops and backsplash, potted plants, framed photos, and a woven pendant light fixture above a central island.
Modern open-plan living room and kitchen with light wood floors, neutral furnishings, built-in cabinets, a central island, and pendant lighting. Framed photos and flowers add decorative touches.
Open-plan living area with wooden floors, modern kitchen with island, beige sofa, wooden desk, potted plant, and butterfly art on the wall.
Modern open-plan kitchen with a large marble island, dark cabinets, light wood flooring, and a view of a living area and garden through sliding glass doors.
Modern living room with a beige sofa, green accent wall, and large glass doors opening to a dining area and garden. Wooden floors and indoor plants are visible.
Open glass doors reveal a modern dining area with wooden chairs, a white table, artwork on the walls, and a large circular mirror reflecting the interior.
A modern dining area with a white table and green plant centerpiece overlooks a well-maintained garden through large glass sliding doors.
Modern dining area with a long white table and wooden chairs, large skylight, and glass doors opening to a sunny garden patio.
Modern dining area with a long white table, wooden chairs, houseplants, and large glass doors opening to a lush garden patio with lounge chairs. Skylight lets in natural light.
Modern dining area with a wooden table and chair next to a glass door opening to a patio with two lounge chairs and towels, overlooking a lush green garden.
A white table with a potted green plant and stacked books sits by floor-to-ceiling glass doors, overlooking a leafy garden with outdoor chairs.
View through a round mirror of a modern dining area with a white table, green plants, and sliding glass doors opening to a patio garden.
Modern dining room with a long white table, wooden chairs, indoor plants, large skylight, and floor-to-ceiling glass doors opening to a sunny garden patio.
Modern home gym with exercise bikes, treadmill, rowing machine, weight bench, free weights, mirrors, and dark walls, all in a compact, well-lit space.
A home theater room with plush seating, two bean bags, a large screen displaying the 20th Century Fox logo, and a ceiling with star-like lights.
View of a canal lined with boats and trees, residential buildings on the left, a pedestrian path on the right, and a church spire in the background at sunset.
A modern outdoor patio with cushioned seating, surrounded by lush greenery and illuminated steps; two dogs rest on the sofa.
Three-story pale pink townhouse with bay windows and a small front garden, situated between similar light-colored houses on a residential street.
A living room with sage green walls, a fireplace, two blue armchairs, a dark sofa, two black floor lamps, and a painting above the mantel.
Three-story brick and stucco townhouse with riverside garden, terrace, and private dock holding two boats, surrounded by trees and greenery.
Row of residential buildings with brick and white facades behind overgrown vegetation and a small canal with calm water in the foreground.
Row of terraced houses with gardens along a canal, with moored boats and overhanging trees reflected in the water.
A worn kitchen with checkered floor, white cabinets, an old stove, and large windows letting in natural light; walls and ceiling show visible signs of wear and peeling paint.
A garden with green benches and overgrown bushes leads to the back entrance of a multi-story brick and white townhouse.
A riverside townhouse with a brick facade and large windows is seen behind a small dock with a covered boat and greenery along the water’s edge.
A modern townhouse with a landscaped garden, featuring a concrete path leading to a dining area inside glass doors at the back of the house.
A riverside view of residential buildings with gardens, patios, and two boats docked along the water.
Modern outdoor patio with beige sectional sofas, a wooden coffee table holding a candle and plant, surrounded by lush greenery and trees in a landscaped garden setting.
A modern open-plan dining area with a long table and wooden chairs opens onto a garden patio through large sliding glass doors. Plants decorate the space indoors and outdoors.
Aerial view of a row of townhouses along a canal with trees and greenery, set against a city skyline in the background.
Modern home with a large glass sliding door opening to a patio and garden, featuring a dining table with wooden chairs and indoor plants.
Modern house with large sliding glass doors open to a patio, revealing a dining area with a long table, chairs, plants, and artwork inside. Two lounge chairs sit outside.
A modern lounge with a bar area, glassware, and bottles on shelves, two plush chairs, framed photos on the wall, and a view into an adjacent room with a large sofa.
Modern home bar with a copper countertop, glassware, bottles of wine and spirits on shelves, two coffee machines, and a large copper bowl on the top shelf.
A modern living room with a large light grey corner sofa, black and green cushions, butterfly art on the wall, plants, and a view of the garden through glass doors.
Modern kitchen with dark cabinets, white marble countertops and backsplash, potted plants, framed photos, and a woven pendant light fixture above a central island.
Modern open-plan living room and kitchen with light wood floors, neutral furnishings, built-in cabinets, a central island, and pendant lighting. Framed photos and flowers add decorative touches.
Open-plan living area with wooden floors, modern kitchen with island, beige sofa, wooden desk, potted plant, and butterfly art on the wall.
Modern open-plan kitchen with a large marble island, dark cabinets, light wood flooring, and a view of a living area and garden through sliding glass doors.
Modern living room with a beige sofa, green accent wall, and large glass doors opening to a dining area and garden. Wooden floors and indoor plants are visible.
Open glass doors reveal a modern dining area with wooden chairs, a white table, artwork on the walls, and a large circular mirror reflecting the interior.
A modern dining area with a white table and green plant centerpiece overlooks a well-maintained garden through large glass sliding doors.
Modern dining area with a long white table and wooden chairs, large skylight, and glass doors opening to a sunny garden patio.
Modern dining area with a long white table, wooden chairs, houseplants, and large glass doors opening to a lush garden patio with lounge chairs. Skylight lets in natural light.
Modern dining area with a wooden table and chair next to a glass door opening to a patio with two lounge chairs and towels, overlooking a lush green garden.
A white table with a potted green plant and stacked books sits by floor-to-ceiling glass doors, overlooking a leafy garden with outdoor chairs.
View through a round mirror of a modern dining area with a white table, green plants, and sliding glass doors opening to a patio garden.
Modern dining room with a long white table, wooden chairs, indoor plants, large skylight, and floor-to-ceiling glass doors opening to a sunny garden patio.
Modern home gym with exercise bikes, treadmill, rowing machine, weight bench, free weights, mirrors, and dark walls, all in a compact, well-lit space.
A home theater room with plush seating, two bean bags, a large screen displaying the 20th Century Fox logo, and a ceiling with star-like lights.
View of a canal lined with boats and trees, residential buildings on the left, a pedestrian path on the right, and a church spire in the background at sunset.
A modern outdoor patio with cushioned seating, surrounded by lush greenery and illuminated steps; two dogs rest on the sofa.
Three-story pale pink townhouse with bay windows and a small front garden, situated between similar light-colored houses on a residential street.
A living room with sage green walls, a fireplace, two blue armchairs, a dark sofa, two black floor lamps, and a painting above the mantel.
Three-story brick and stucco townhouse with riverside garden, terrace, and private dock holding two boats, surrounded by trees and greenery.
Row of residential buildings with brick and white facades behind overgrown vegetation and a small canal with calm water in the foreground.
Row of terraced houses with gardens along a canal, with moored boats and overhanging trees reflected in the water.
A worn kitchen with checkered floor, white cabinets, an old stove, and large windows letting in natural light; walls and ceiling show visible signs of wear and peeling paint.
A garden with green benches and overgrown bushes leads to the back entrance of a multi-story brick and white townhouse.
A riverside townhouse with a brick facade and large windows is seen behind a small dock with a covered boat and greenery along the water’s edge.

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