Extensions
Your first thought might not be that the unusual shape of this rear extension, designed by Lizzie Fraher of Fraher & Findlay, was down to planning restrictions, because it looks so beautiful. But it was. “We wanted to extend in order to increase the kitchen space at this lower ground floor level,” Lizzie explains, “but planning made us fold back the design so it didn’t impose on the neighbours’ extension.” The result is a strikingly angled addition with a huge, pivoting door and a full-height window at the tip of the extension.
Transform your side return into an internal atrium Some would argue that this isn’t a conservatory, but I’d say it is. It’s a very good, sunny option for adding another room to the house if you can’t build at the back. A very common solution when you have a long and narrow plot – or side return – on a terraced house is to extend to the side boundary. Since this can block light from reaching your rear reception room, however, a good solution is to step back from a side extension altogether and create a room like this, a sort of internal garden with a glazed roof over it. Having a small conservatory like this provides many possibilities, from creating a spot for a herb garden to a relaxing area with seats and storage. A small office area with plenty of light above, as shown in this picture, is a splendid use for the space, as the tall, existing walls prevent it from becoming too hot.
rary Think small In central London, if you live in a terraced house and want to extend, you may only be allowed a small side or rear extension. You’ll get the largest internal area by using the structure you already have with a glazed wall and roof for a conservatory feel instead. Glass is typically thinner than bricks! The fully glazed type, as seen here, shows it doesn’t really need to be very big – as long as you can get a small group around a table, it can be just right.
The extension was small and full width – there was no side return to fill in. Ana and Sebastian took the structure out by around one metre, mindful that the courtyard garden was already quite small. Steel French windows fold back on themselves, maximising space outside, and a skylight in the new part of the building brings in additional daylight.
Don’t forget about health and safety It’s important to notify Building Control if you’re about to start work on site. You can do this through your local authority, or by finding a private inspector. Building Control has to be notified in order to make sure everything is built according to the latest health and safety regulations. If you want to keep original features in your period property, it’s likely that some won’t comply with the current regulations. However, there are usually other ways to meet those standards. For example, if the original Victorian doors don’t comply with the new standard modern fire doors, Building Control might ask you to apply fireproof paint or install fireproof stickers on the recessed panels.
As you can see from this ‘before’ floorplan and the ‘after’ version, below, Claudia freed up a bedroom by turning the original bathroom into a study. She didn’t stop there, though, and enhanced these rooms, making the two original bedrooms smaller, but putting a large walk-in cupboard between them, accessible from the hall. She also boosted the size of the smallest room of the three by stealing space from the adjacent room.
Simon created more space at the front of the house with a clever angled porch extension. The living room pinches some of this triangular section, which means the window wall is on an angle, creating a little more breathing space. “We never would have thought about the angle, but it’s brilliant,” Lucy says. “It feels really nice, as it gives some extra space to the living room.” The angle means it doesn’t look obtrusive from the outside, but, as well as extra inches in the living room, it gives the family plenty of valuable storage space in the hall. The couple decided to keep the original glazed section next to the living room door, but replaced the panels with safety glass.
The lights are attached to ceilings of different heights. “In an open plan space, one of the things you can do to create separation of spaces is [to vary] the ceiling heights,” Trevor explains. “In the kitchen, you don’t want to feel cramped, so we kept the ceiling as high as possible, then used the pendant lights to connect the spaces.”
Look at alternatives to standard doors “Consider sliding or pocket doors for interconnecting rooms,” Eva says. “There are some great off-the-shelf pocket systems with aluminium frames that allow you to work with existing openings to fit hidden, streamlined doors.” “Sliding and pocket doors create more visual space,” Kia agrees. “They feel more open than a standard hinged door. They don’t necessarily give you more space, but they do help to open up a room, because you don’t need to allow for door leaves swinging out into the floor space. “Also,” she continues, “with sliding or pocket doors, you can have furniture right up to a door frame [as long as you allow wall space behind for a sliding door to open] in a way that would feel too cramped with a hinged door.”
Like porches - but not this one. But - “Porches are generally an easy project to carry out under Permitted Development, but you do need to check the height of the structure and distance from the boundary,” Andrew says. “Porches are the only form of addition that extends beyond the front wall of a property that are allowed under Permitted Development,” James says. “You can choose the form of porch, from flat to pitched roof, as long as it’s no higher than three metres, it has an external footprint no greater than three square metres, and no part of it is nearer than two metres from any highway.”
Like the stepped planters beside the steps
Create the idea of a wall This slim glass panel barely takes up any floor space, yet it very effectively gives the sense that there’s an entrance area and a dining room without losing any light – no mean feat in a teeny one-bed flat, pulled off by Stephan Bidoux Studio. He’s refused to lose walls in the rest of the place, too. Instead, sleek pocket doors, even to the kitchen, save space while maintaining distinct rooms.
Instead, Olivier Bourdon at Bambù has ensured that light still flows between the two areas, but that there’s also wall space to put the TV against, heaps of shelving, and concealed storage in the hallway connecting the two rooms. Bambù / Olivier Bourdon Email Save This floorplan shows how it all works.
Think of the storage In this flat, knocking through to create a kitchen/living space was an option, but it would have resulted in a rather narrow room and meant storage space was limited.
You can see from the before and after floorplans how space was stolen from the kitchen to create a bathroom and laundry nook. Even though that cut the original kitchen in half, moving the bathroom made way for a good-sized kitchen-diner, with a full-height window giving the seating area a view and the kitchen masses more light.
To break down the old barriers and create the shared space the family wanted, Frederik designed an open-plan rear extension connected to the garden. Now, it’s where the family spend most of their time. These before and after floorplans show how both circulation and views were improved. Contemporary Exterior by R2 Studio Architects R2 Studio Architects Email Save The new rear extension accommodates the kitchen, dining space, living area and library. With views extending from the front wall to the rear glass façade, the generous size of the home can be appreciated.
Play with interesting forms… There is no absolute right or wrong form for a side extension and very often the art of designing one of these is in looking at the particular nature of the house and how the light wants to be brought in. This interesting example combines a flat and pitched roof, allowing a large triangular ‘window’ to be set part of the way back down the length of the extension for getting more light in and creating height inside.
“We used glass all the way along the roof to bring in lots of light, and the aluminium frames are powder-coated to give them an industrial feel,” Rich says. “We used reclaimed brick from the original side wall to create the rustic-looking exposed surfaces.” The flooring was chosen by Laura Simpson, who was the interior designer on this project. “It’s actually an affordable luxury vinyl that gives an authentic wood look,” she says. “If you opt for this brand, we recommend you also use the ‘strips’ that go in-between each plank for an even more authentic look.” Flooring, Polyflor.
This effect can be achieved on a smaller scale both inside and out. For example, by creating a visually heavy and overly deep stone window surround and then setting a slimline steel-framed window into it can enhance both materials.
Happily, the designer has sensitively used tall, elegant proportions for the doorway. While it might not be especially noticeable, it contributes subliminally to the space feeling generous.
Highlighting specific areas, such as washing daylight down over a stairwell from above or creating a ‘pool’ of daylight over a dining table or kitchen island, can be tremendously effective.
If you’re planning an extension, think outside the box… or, rather, outside the standard flat roof – this roof could simply have been flat, but by arranging the joists in a series of interesting angles an exciting form has been developed. In essence, there’s nothing (other than the triangular roof lights) that would have had to been made bespoke, or would have cost a great deal more than a simple flat roof.
Earthy paint shades and smart wall panelling create a welcoming entrance hall, offset with sky-blue floor tiles for a dose of colour. Walls painted in Pure Shadow, Dulux Signature Collection. Floor tiles, Tilestyle. Console, Eden Home & Garden. Mirror, Rowell Design.
Full-length double doors lead directly onto the garden. Although the door frames look like painted wood, they are actually made from a coloured PVC. Windows in Painswick, by Residence 9 supplied by McMahon & Nagle.
Add character If you want to create an extension on your period property without going too contemporary, a pitched roof design is a good solution. The added space at the back of this Edwardian home, designed by Lofts and Extensions, has bags of character thanks to its sloped shape. The angled ceiling creates space for an attractive set of French windows and additional glazing at the rear that looks completely in keeping with the period house and provides a stunning feature.
The extension is clad in sustainable Scottish larch. “It’s slightly brown but weathers to a consistent grey that will match the colours of the main building,” says Theofanis. “It makes a better connection with the garden’s trees and plants.”
Inside, you can see there is no loss of light – quite the opposite, as an up-and-over rooflight stretches the space and draws the outside in. Clever furniture placement – in the form of the built-in bench seating and a long dining table – echo the shape of the glazing, tying the whole room’s design together perfectly.
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