Clermiston Terrace is a minimal home located in Edinburgh, Scotland, designed by Pend. Light streams through a carefully positioned rooflight, casting three distinct shadows from exposed timber beams onto the warm oak flooring below – a daily solar performance that marks the dramatic transformation of this Edinburgh terrace house by Pend Architects. This thoughtful manipulation of natural light serves as both practical illumination and metaphor for the studio’s broader achievement: turning a confined, dark space into a luminous family sanctuary.

The project’s most compelling innovation lies in its response to site constraints. Rather than viewing a challenging sewer line as an obstacle, Pend transformed it into an opportunity, creating a sophisticated stepped extension with slipped pitches that cleverly navigates issues of overshadowing and privacy. This technical solution evolves into an architectural gesture that defines the home’s character, particularly in the sunken patio area where a sconce provides gentle evening illumination against the buff-toned Marziale brick walls.

The material palette speaks to a broader cultural shift in domestic architecture – one that privileges authenticity and tactile experience over mere visual appeal. The extension’s brick coursing patterns create a subtle dialogue between old and new, while the interior’s oak cabinetry and Calacatta marble surfaces reflect a contemporary desire for spaces that can gracefully weather daily family life. A bespoke coffee table anchors the living space, its materiality echoing the marble elements throughout the home and creating a coherent narrative of carefully considered details.

Perhaps most striking is how the renovation reimagines the traditional relationship between interior and exterior spaces. The kitchen and dining area flow seamlessly onto the sunken patio, suggesting a contemporary understanding of domestic life where boundaries between inside and outside become increasingly fluid. This spatial strategy reflects a growing cultural emphasis on connection – both to nature and between family members – supported by thoughtful lighting choices, including the adjustable wall-mounted Malamatta light by Luceplan that transforms the window seat from a sun-drenched morning nook to an intimate evening retreat.