Walk with us through a former Victorian family villa, turned hotel-like care home, now remade into a family house. From institutional to inspirational – a landmark grand residence reimagined as a contemporary family home. Explore this project by Townscape Architects in Ilkley.
Perched high on the side of Ilkley Moor stands a grand Victorian property with a complex past – once a private villa, later a care home. Our challenge was to return this handsome building to its former role as a family home, while sensitively adapting it to suit the way we live today.
The brief from our client was ambitious: to transform a once institutional building into a vibrant and welcoming family residence. The new home needed to feel warm, contemporary and elegant, with flowing living spaces and strong connections to its garden and landscape setting. And above all, it needed to feel like it had always belonged here.
We began by peeling back years of unsympathetic additions to reveal the clarity of the original plan. Original stonework, sash windows, and Victorian detailing were restored and enhanced, preserving the character of the house and anchoring it to its context. To this, we added a series of bold, contemporary interventions – including a striking double-height glazed entrance hall and a fully glazed rear living space that opens onto the garden, framing long views up towards Ilkley Moor.
At the heart of the house, a handcrafted Bisca staircase forms a sculptural centrepiece, connecting old and new both spatially and stylistically. Its elegant form rises through the double-height space, drawing light deep into the plan and reinforcing the sense of flow between levels and eras. Made from natural stone, warm timber and blackened steel, the staircase subtly echoes both traditional craftsmanship and contemporary precision. The result is a confident juxtaposition of old and new. Victorian proportions and details provide texture and depth; modern insertions bring clarity, openness and light.
The ground floor was reconfigured as a connected sequence of entertaining and family spaces, featuring an open, expansive kitchen, dining area, and living space. This open-plan garden room extension offers seamless access to new landscaped terraces. The house flows naturally from formal to informal, from inside to out, and from morning sun to evening light. Materials were chosen to complement the original architecture – natural stone, timber, glazed steelwork – with contemporary detailing that remains deliberately restrained. The green sedum roof, deep overhangs, and carefully designed landscaping integrate the new forms into the site’s topography.
Garden Room Extension GuideContinuing the ground-floor expansion design, it incorporated an injection of the homeowner’s personality while respecting the villa’s original orientation, restoring the former games room and elegant, brasserie-like home bar. Again, using materials that paid homage to the original architecture in deep wood tones, wall panelling and Victorian colour palettes, yet with modern twists that considered today’s living and contemporary colour contrasts.
Mature trees and layered planting soften the building and enhance its setting. We worked closely with arboricultural and structural consultants to ensure the design respected tree root zones and natural features. Former tarmac areas have been replaced with permeable surfaces, soft landscaping and meaningful outdoor spaces.
Explore GalleryAlthough not listed or located in a conservation area, the project required a sensitive approach. The local planning officer described it as:
“An occasion when contemporary design will succeed and provide extensions that will be positive 21st-century additions to Overdale.”
We worked diligently and patiently on the client’s behalf with the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, which governs development in Ilkley, to obtain a Certificate of Lawfulness and ensure that all necessary planning permissions for the conversion and adaptation of the property and its detached garage progressed smoothly. Some areas of Ilkley are subject to Green Belt regulations, which is something we are well-versed in, so we took this into consideration as well.
The result is that Overdale is once again a family home – one that strikes a balance between character and comfort, heritage and innovation. A landmark Ilkley home that celebrates its history while quietly looking to the future.
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