Architecture services for London homes
Studio CMA helps London homeowners improve period and existing homes through renovation, extension, retrofit and architectural interiors.
At Studio CMA, we create homes that are calm, characterful and built to last. Our work is grounded in careful listening, rigorous design, and a belief that buildings should feel as good as they look.
From light-filled extensions to deep retrofits and elegant interiors, we help you shape a home that reflects your life and values—quietly sustainable, beautifully made, and tailored to its context.
We’re a husband-and-wife architecture practice based in London, combining vision and detail, creativity and care. Whether you’re just starting to explore a project or ready to build, we’re here to guide you through it.
Learn more about our story and approach.
What We Offer
We offer a complete architectural service that brings together design, detail and sustainability. Whether you’re extending a family home, renovating a period property, or planning a low-energy new build, we help you shape spaces that feel calm, intelligent and beautifully made.
Our services work together—or stand alone—to support you at every stage of your project, from first idea to final finish:
Architecture — Thoughtful, design-led buildings tailored to how you want to live.
Interiors — Natural, refined spaces where materials, light and function meet.
Retrofit — Energy-efficient upgrades for homes with character and future value.
Each project is different. That’s why we listen carefully, work collaboratively, and design with care—so your home reflects not just your needs, but your values.
Full Architectural Service
Renovations, extensions and reconfigurations, guided from early ideas to construction
If you are planning a larger change to your home, you need more than drawings. You need a clear route through the decisions that shape cost, planning, design quality and construction.
Our Full Architectural Service is for homeowners planning renovations, extensions, reconfigurations and more complex home projects. We help you understand what is possible, develop the design, prepare the information needed for planning and construction, and guide the project through the key stages.
This is where whole-house thinking matters most. An extension affects light in the original rooms. A new kitchen affects storage, circulation and services. Insulation affects ventilation and moisture. We help these decisions work together, so the finished home feels coherent rather than pieced together.
This may include:
Early briefing, feasibility and design options
Planning applications and conservation area advice
Developed design, layouts, materials and key details
Technical drawings and information for builders
Tender support, contractor selection and construction-stage guidance
Ideal for:
Homeowners planning a renovation, extension, reconfiguration or larger home project who want careful design thinking carried through from the first ideas to the build.
Not sure where to start?
Many clients begin with an Architect’s Home Visit & Appraisal: a structured first step that helps you understand what is realistic, what matters most and how best to move forward.
Architectural Interiors
Kitchens, bathrooms, joinery and materials considered as part of the whole home
Interiors are not just the final layer of a project. They shape how your home works every day: where things are stored, how rooms feel, how light is used and how materials come together.
Our Architectural Interiors service focuses on the parts of the home where design decisions become most personal and practical. Kitchens, bathrooms, joinery, storage, lighting and finishes are considered alongside the architecture, not added at the end.
This helps create rooms that feel calmer, more useful and more coherent. The aim is not decoration for its own sake. It is to make the spaces you use every day feel better resolved, easier to live in and more connected to the rest of the home.
This may include:
Kitchen, bathroom and utility layouts
Bespoke joinery, storage and fitted furniture
Lighting, switches and everyday use of rooms
Natural materials, finishes and colour palettes
Coordination between interiors, architecture and construction details
Ideal for:
Homeowners who want the inside of their home to feel calm, practical and carefully resolved, with materials, storage, lighting and details designed as part of the wider architectural thinking.
Retrofit Architecture
Warmer, healthier, lower-energy homes, upgraded with care
Older homes can often be made warmer, healthier and less wasteful to run, but retrofit decisions need to be made in the right order. Insulation, windows, ventilation, airtightness and heating all affect one another.
Many projects are designed around minimum building regulations compliance. Retrofit needs a more joined-up benchmark. Before choosing products or construction details, it helps to define what the home is being improved towards: a recognised standard, better comfort, lower energy use, healthier air, safer moisture management, sensible phasing or a clearer long-term outcome.
Our Retrofit Architecture service helps you make those decisions as part of the wider design of your home. We look at how heat, air, moisture, materials, layout and construction work together, so upgrades reduce problems rather than create new ones.
This may include:
Retrofit design for period and existing homes
Insulation, ventilation, windows and airtightness advice
Moisture-risk thinking for solid-wall and older buildings
Energy, comfort and performance targets considered together
Retrofit design integrated into renovation, extension or whole-home projects
Ideal for:
Homeowners who want to make an existing or period home warmer, healthier, more comfortable and lower-energy, while avoiding piecemeal upgrades that do not work well together.
Starter route:
Many clients begin with the Retrofit Strategy Service. This defines the right retrofit direction before major design or construction decisions are made, whether the project is aiming for a recognised standard, a comfort-led upgrade or an outcome-led strategy.
Common Questions About Our Services
Whether you're thinking about extending, retrofitting or starting fresh, we’d love to hear about your plans. Book a consultation or send us a message to get started.
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We’re based in Hackney and work across London—including Islington, Camden, Haringey, and surrounding boroughs. If you're a little further afield, feel free to get in touch—we occasionally take on projects outside London where there's a good fit.
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Yes. We manage planning applications, pre-application advice, and listed building consent where required.
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We typically work on residential new builds, extensions, whole-house refurbishments, and energy-efficient retrofits. Most of our clients are homeowners or small developers looking for design-led, sustainable solutions.
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Yes. Sustainability is central to everything we do. We design with energy performance, natural materials, and long-term durability in mind. We’re also Passivhaus-certified and work to EnerPHit and AECB retrofit standards.
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Absolutely. Many of our clients retrofit over time. We develop a long-term strategy to help you phase works sensibly and cost-effectively.
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We offer integrated interior architecture as part of our service, but are happy to collaborate with other designers if preferred.
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Fees vary depending on the project size and complexity. During our discovery call, we’ll provide an outline based on your goals and budget.
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We offer contract administration and on-site support as part of our full architectural service. This includes monitoring quality, answering site queries, and ensuring the build reflects the design intent. We guide you through the build process with clarity and care.
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Book a discovery call with us using the contact form or email us directly. We’ll have an informal conversation to learn more about your project, discuss timelines, and explain how we can help. There’s no obligation—it’s just a good place to begin.
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No—we are independent architects, not a design & build company. That means we don’t profit from construction. Instead, we act as your advocate throughout the process, ensuring your brief, budget and build quality are protected from concept to completion. We can still introduce excellent builders, help you run a competitive tender, and remain closely involved during construction.
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Design & build companies combine design and construction under one roof. This may seem efficient, but it can blur accountability and limit design freedom. As architects, we offer an independent, design-led process that keeps your best interests—budget, design quality, and sustainability—at the forefront.
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Not at all. In fact, you’ll likely have more control. We help you test and refine your brief and budget before committing to builders. And because we aren’t tied to a single contractor, we help you compare prices and make informed decisions throughout.
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Yes. We regularly collaborate with skilled contractors—especially those experienced in sensitive retrofits and energy-efficient homes. We’ll guide you through the tender process and help you choose the right fit based on quality, value, and trust.
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Their quote may seem cheaper upfront, but it often excludes key items or leaves little room for design development. We provide honest budgets and a staged design process with regular cost checks. This reduces risk and ensures you get the right outcome without surprises later on.
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Absolutely. Whether it's your preferred contractor or one we recommend, we’re happy to collaborate. Our role is to ensure a clear scope, quality workmanship, and a smooth process from design through delivery. So regardless of how confident you are in your builder, we’ll still interview them and give you our honest opinion.
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We offer transparent, staged fees that align with the RIBA work stages. This allows flexibility as your project evolves, rather than locking you into an all-in-one fee that might mask hidden costs or reduce quality.