On the ground floor, this Victorian end terrace was light and spacious, but the floor below was shady and lacking in character in comparison. We were asked to rebalance the property and revitalise the lower-ground. Inspired by the aesthetic of commercial/industrial spaces, polished light-toned concrete was used for the floor and party wall, complemented by off-white walls and contrasted by a sunburst of vibrant yellow that dominates the kitchen and continues up the stairwell. These colours lift and brighten the space, helped by the addition of a large skylight in the existing side-return extension, transforming what had been a lifeless passageway into a hall of light. The reconfigured floorpan created additional usable space, allowing for the addition of a utility room and a shower room – without any structural alterations to the property.