Houzz Tour: A Clever Angled Extension Opens Up a 1980s House
An ingenious solution took this L-shaped property from gloomy and awkward to light, open and sociable
Sarah Alcroft
9 May 2019
Houzz UK Editorial Team
How far would you go to get your dream home? Mark Sewell and Eunice Locher were so keen to see their vision realised, they lived in an office hut in the garden for months – with their clothes in a tent – while their awkwardly shaped, dark, 1980s house was transformed into the bright, serene space it is today.
House at a Glance
Who lives here? Mark Sewell, CIO of a recruitment company, and Eunice Locher, a ceramicist and founder of The Clay Studio
Location Forest Row, East Sussex
Property A 1980s house with new additions
Size Five bedrooms and three bathrooms
Cost £375,000
Architect Adam Penton of Penton Architects
Photos by Bruce Hemming
Who lives here? Mark Sewell, CIO of a recruitment company, and Eunice Locher, a ceramicist and founder of The Clay Studio
Location Forest Row, East Sussex
Property A 1980s house with new additions
Size Five bedrooms and three bathrooms
Cost £375,000
Architect Adam Penton of Penton Architects
Photos by Bruce Hemming
Mark and Eunice didn’t love the gloomy original house – what they’d been drawn to was the southwesterly plot. So when they called in architect Adam Penton, they asked for lots of light and a more sociable and connected space, as they have a large family who visit often.
“The brief was very loose,” Adam says. “They told us everything they hated about the house, which was most of it. There was something very awkward about the L shape. The bulk of the family space was right in the corner of the L, and the low, overhanging roof meant it was dark.”
“The brief was very loose,” Adam says. “They told us everything they hated about the house, which was most of it. There was something very awkward about the L shape. The bulk of the family space was right in the corner of the L, and the low, overhanging roof meant it was dark.”
The solution was to build out and soften the L shape. “We added a 45 degree angle across the corner of the house to help connect the two ends [of the L],” Adam explains. “We couldn’t take the roof off this section [due to planning constraints], but by creating the extension on the corner, we were able to introduce a higher ceiling [see the raised section in the first photo].
“The addition also refocused the house, so the living space now looks across to a lovely tree in the far corner, giving a longer view,” he says. “And it meant we could push back the service areas around the periphery.”
Adam also demolished the garage (on the left in the previous photo) and in its place built a two-storey extension, which he clad in Siberian larch.
“It’s been treated with SiOO:X wood protection,” he says. “The timber still weathers naturally, but it ages more evenly,” which avoids the uneven staining that could have occurred due to the overhanging roofs.
The picture window, which forms a balcony outside the master suite, is clad in blue-grey zinc.
Siberian larch, Russwood Timber. Zinc cladding, Rheinzink.
“The addition also refocused the house, so the living space now looks across to a lovely tree in the far corner, giving a longer view,” he says. “And it meant we could push back the service areas around the periphery.”
Adam also demolished the garage (on the left in the previous photo) and in its place built a two-storey extension, which he clad in Siberian larch.
“It’s been treated with SiOO:X wood protection,” he says. “The timber still weathers naturally, but it ages more evenly,” which avoids the uneven staining that could have occurred due to the overhanging roofs.
The picture window, which forms a balcony outside the master suite, is clad in blue-grey zinc.
Siberian larch, Russwood Timber. Zinc cladding, Rheinzink.
The ground-floor plan shows how much more usable the house is now with the softened corner.
The master suite on the first floor is a quiet haven away from the main part of the home.
The L shape of the original house meant the rooms were shaded and the view across the garden wasn’t maximised.
The new dining area, located in the triangular extension, is a sunny space from where Eunice and Mark can enjoy the garden.
Porcelain tiles, warmed by underfloor heating, make it easy to keep the space clean. External-quality versions of these tiles run out onto the patio for an indoor-outdoor connection.
Floor tiles inside and out, Hampshire Tile Warehouse. Underfloor heating, Nu-Heat.
Porcelain tiles, warmed by underfloor heating, make it easy to keep the space clean. External-quality versions of these tiles run out onto the patio for an indoor-outdoor connection.
Floor tiles inside and out, Hampshire Tile Warehouse. Underfloor heating, Nu-Heat.
The couple were keen the house should feel uncluttered, and furnished it only with pieces they love. They commissioned a solid oak dining table long enough to seat plenty of guests, and surrounded it with colourful midcentury Eames Eiffel chairs that give it a modern look.
The American walnut shelves behind the table are the perfect display space for ceramics by Eunice and others. “The couple have a fantastic art collection, with many of the pieces made by friends,” Adam says. The cupboards below house crockery and glassware.
Bespoke dining table, Revive Joinery. Midcentury furniture, Jeroen Markies. Wood-burning stove, Dovre.
The American walnut shelves behind the table are the perfect display space for ceramics by Eunice and others. “The couple have a fantastic art collection, with many of the pieces made by friends,” Adam says. The cupboards below house crockery and glassware.
Bespoke dining table, Revive Joinery. Midcentury furniture, Jeroen Markies. Wood-burning stove, Dovre.
The kitchen, with its streamlined dark grey units and wooden breakfast bar, is in the original house, but open to the extension.
The pocket door in the right-hand corner leads to a utility room.
Kitchen, In-toto Tunbridge Wells.
Read reviews of kitchen designers and fitters in your area.
The pocket door in the right-hand corner leads to a utility room.
Kitchen, In-toto Tunbridge Wells.
Read reviews of kitchen designers and fitters in your area.
The dark brick chimney breast in former living room didn’t help the low light levels.
The new living room, now sited on the ground floor of the two-storey extension, is a fresh, bright, uncluttered space with a wood-burning stove (not pictured) for chillier days.
Adam added sliding glazed doors in here for maximum views and light, and quick access to the patio. They’re fitted with pleated blinds that fold up tightly.
The engineered oak floorboards, with underfloor heating, add a softer note than the tiles in the main living space.
Adam added sliding glazed doors in here for maximum views and light, and quick access to the patio. They’re fitted with pleated blinds that fold up tightly.
The engineered oak floorboards, with underfloor heating, add a softer note than the tiles in the main living space.
The windows in the house are triple-glazed and Adam also reinsulated and sound-proofed the walls throughout. “The house is insulated well beyond Building Regulations standards,” he says.
The entrance hall is light and open. The huge cupboard takes care of coats and shoes to keep the space clutter-free. Behind the cupboard is a cloakroom.
The entrance hall is light and open. The huge cupboard takes care of coats and shoes to keep the space clutter-free. Behind the cupboard is a cloakroom.
The clean-lined staircase combines oak and glass. “It has a traditional feel but with a clean, contemporary look,” Adam says.
Staircase, Pear Stairs.
Staircase, Pear Stairs.
The first floor of the larch-clad extension is given over to a master suite. The vaulted ceiling creates an airy feel.
“For Planning Permission to be granted for two storeys, we had to keep the roof relatively low,” Adam explains. “The vaulted ceiling gives it height and character.”
“Rather than box in the walk-in wardrobe [behind the bed],” he says, “we added to the airy feel by keeping the wall open on three sides.”
“For Planning Permission to be granted for two storeys, we had to keep the roof relatively low,” Adam explains. “The vaulted ceiling gives it height and character.”
“Rather than box in the walk-in wardrobe [behind the bed],” he says, “we added to the airy feel by keeping the wall open on three sides.”
“Mark and Eunice squeezed down on the width of the walk-in wardrobe, as they wanted as much space as possible in the sleeping zone, so it’s a tight galley area, but that’s all the space you need,” Adam says.
Fitted wardrobes, Sliderobes.
Fitted wardrobes, Sliderobes.
“With a normal window in the side wall, you’d be looking straight at the neighbours,” Adam says, so he incorporated glazing up high.
“Some might not like this solution, as you can’t really block out the light,” he says, “but Mark and Eunice were very comfortable with it, and liked the idea they could see the trees and the evening sun through there.”
“Some might not like this solution, as you can’t really block out the light,” he says, “but Mark and Eunice were very comfortable with it, and liked the idea they could see the trees and the evening sun through there.”
The balcony is a little extra that adds to the idea the master suite is a haven away from the hubbub. “We built it as a box frame, so you can’t see sideways into the neighbours’ plot, but are very much focused on this garden,” Adam says.
The master en suite was a difficult room to light, as the exterior wall is directly above the entrance, so for privacy there’s only a slim window (see next photo). This wall of glass bricks, which borrows light from the hallway, is a perfect solution that brings in soft light while offering total privacy.
“It would have been a gloomy room without them,” Adam says. “The bricks really help to lift the bathroom – they glow and sparkle, and are quite a feature in the space.”
“It would have been a gloomy room without them,” Adam says. “The bricks really help to lift the bathroom – they glow and sparkle, and are quite a feature in the space.”
The slim window on the other side offers extra light plus ventilation.
Bathroom fixtures and fittings, East Grinstead Bathrooms & Kitchens.
Bathroom fixtures and fittings, East Grinstead Bathrooms & Kitchens.
The family bathroom, which is in the elbow of the L, has a freestanding bath and a walk-in shower.
The original front of the house showing the garage.
The new entrance is in the two-storey extension, where the garage was originally.
Adam has built a carport to the side. “There are lots of trees around the house, so the cars would get covered in sap and debris without it,” he says.
The carport also opens up the side of the house, adding more space for vehicles when the couple have visitors.
Adam has built a carport to the side. “There are lots of trees around the house, so the cars would get covered in sap and debris without it,” he says.
The carport also opens up the side of the house, adding more space for vehicles when the couple have visitors.
The project came in on time and on budget. So less than a year after work began, Mark and Eunice got to leave their garden digs and move into their dream home.
See more ways to connect your kitchen to the garden.
Tell us…
What do you think of this cleverly extended home? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
See more ways to connect your kitchen to the garden.
Tell us…
What do you think of this cleverly extended home? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
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Beautiful - a real ‘home’
Wonderful!! Likely it was worth sleeping in a hut for! Wishing you all the happiness in your renovated home. Hugely inspiring. As many of the other comments I could happily take much inspiration from this for our dreary detached house in HUGE need of renovation. This design and finish ticks so many of my boxes and it is such a clever project. Sadly despite the fact it probably is very good value, this budget far exceeds what I would be looking to spend however I guess it is also relative to the purchase price, current market value etc.
Really good transformation. Innovative, too. Makes a change from the usual kind of architectural alterations and additions to houses, and quite unusually, also improves the garden area, as the view from the garden end is improved. With many such house alterations, it looks nice enough from the house end, but if you think about what you see from the opposite end of the garden, it’s not all that attractive. This works both ways. Just excellent. I love the amount of light in the house. It’s even captured by having open stairs. No opportunity is wasted.