Catalog House Replans Two Flats Into a Light-Led Family Home
Catalog House converts two former flats into one family house in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, by PEND. The project reorganizes a Victorian semi to clarify circulation, amplify light, and draw daily life toward a west-facing garden. Across two levels, it balances open entertaining rooms with private quarters, giving the clients—owners of Catalog Interiors—a generous, flexible plan for living and hosting.
Soft afternoon light pulls through wide openings toward the garden. The plan reads in one breath, from entrance hall to terrace, with a gentle curve tempering the route.
This is a house in the Trinity suburb of Edinburgh, reworked by PEND from two subdivided flats into a single home. The renovation privileges movement and clarity, tying Victorian scale to contemporary living without noise. Plan drives experience here, guiding mornings to the bay-window kitchen and evenings toward the garden-facing lounge.
Open The Sequence
Arrival sets the tone. PEND opens the hallway vertically to connect both floors, then carves wide, tall portals that preserve long sightlines from street door to west terrace. Those openings stitch once-separated volumes into a single read, letting family life swing between rooms without bottlenecks. It’s clear where to go, and when.
Curve To Garden
At the rear, a 35 square metre (377 sq ft) addition replaces piecemeal extensions and restores an easy path to the outdoors. The new lounge opens directly to a terrace through large glazed doors, gathering golden afternoon light under a roof light that anchors the room. A quietly rounded brick wall outside mirrors an interior curve near the entry, easing circulation from side access to patio. Large planters frame a sitting area that works as a natural continuation of the lounge.
Kitchen Up Front
The plan flips tradition. The kitchen moves to the east-facing front room, where a canted bay window pours in morning light for coffee, breakfasts, and prep. Generous proportions suit both family rhythms and bigger gatherings, letting cooking and conversation unfold before guests drift deeper into the house. Restored cornicing plays against a clean, flush-fronted kitchen, bringing order without fuss.
Bridge The Middle
Between kitchen and lounge, the dining room works as the hinge. A roof light over the junction of old and new drops daylight into this central room, making it an easy pause between front and garden. Openings keep views broad, so the table holds court without blocking movement. Pieces chosen by the clients lend character while the layout stays legible.
Hide The Work
Utility jobs stay out of sight. The extension conceals a utility room with access from both living area and side entrance, plus a compact office lit from above. Secret panelled doors keep the lounge calm, even on busy days, while a tucked TV snug provides a dark, quiet retreat off the main room. A heavy curtain lets that snug connect or close down as needed.
Upstairs, bedrooms and the bathroom gather the private routines, leaving the ground floor free for daily flow and easy hosting. The whole plan sits on an east–west axis that biases morning toward the front and late light to the back. Movement remains intuitive, surfaces stay quiet, and the house breathes again.
Photography by Lorenzo Zandri
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