Room Tour: A Small Side Extension Totally Transforms a Kitchen
Before and after photos show how a slim infill extension made all the difference to this modern kitchen-diner
Simplicity was key to renovating the ground floor of this Georgian townhouse. By removing some internal walls and adding a sympathetic side extension, the architects at Guy Taylor Associates transformed a warren of office rooms into a spacious, light-filled, open-plan home.
The team also worked closely with the designers at Diane Berry Kitchens, who created the beautiful and functional cookspace, and the owner, who’s a builder and carried out the construction work.
The team also worked closely with the designers at Diane Berry Kitchens, who created the beautiful and functional cookspace, and the owner, who’s a builder and carried out the construction work.
Chris explains, “We built a side infill extension to create as much space as possible and used it as an opportunity to bring some top light into the house.”
The extension and old building are connected by a margin of glass, which sympathetically joins the two elements and brings even more light into the space.
The extension is covered with black cladding. “We chose this because black has a recessive nature, so it sits in the shadows rather than competing with the lovely red brick of the existing house,” Chris explains.
Aluminium patio doors open out to an attractive side courtyard with a mirror opposite to catch the light. The bottom of the doors are flush to the ground for an easy transition from inside to out.
Drainage in front of patio doors, Aco.
The extension and old building are connected by a margin of glass, which sympathetically joins the two elements and brings even more light into the space.
The extension is covered with black cladding. “We chose this because black has a recessive nature, so it sits in the shadows rather than competing with the lovely red brick of the existing house,” Chris explains.
Aluminium patio doors open out to an attractive side courtyard with a mirror opposite to catch the light. The bottom of the doors are flush to the ground for an easy transition from inside to out.
Drainage in front of patio doors, Aco.
“As the building is Grade II listed, we had to be respectful,” Chris says, “so we approached it by working closely with the planning department and understanding which features had to be preserved.”
They retained the sash windows, and the chimney stack was also left in place (see first image, on the left behind the island).
Pendant light, John Lewis.
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They retained the sash windows, and the chimney stack was also left in place (see first image, on the left behind the island).
Pendant light, John Lewis.
Planning a renovation project? Find architects and building designers in your area
The team designed apertures in the centre and to the side of the chimney breast to open it up.
Their original drawings show how they planned to include a double-sided fireplace to be enjoyed in the kitchen and the lounge area at the rear. In the end, the couple decided to use the opening for extra storage shelves instead.
“We already have a wood-burner in the lounge as well as underfloor heating,” Mike explains. “It would have looked fabulous, but we had to concede we’d rarely light it.”
Their original drawings show how they planned to include a double-sided fireplace to be enjoyed in the kitchen and the lounge area at the rear. In the end, the couple decided to use the opening for extra storage shelves instead.
“We already have a wood-burner in the lounge as well as underfloor heating,” Mike explains. “It would have looked fabulous, but we had to concede we’d rarely light it.”
The team fitted a glass pane at the back to highlight where an original door had been. It adds an even greater connection to the outside and brings in more light.
The before photo shows how the original door had been bricked up.
The previous kitchen was positioned next to a pantry, a utility room and a loo, so there were a number of doors leading into it. “This heavily compromised the kitchen – we couldn’t have achieved anywhere near the size the owners would have liked,” Chris says.
By turning the ground floor into an open-plan layout, the architects have made it easier to maximise space, and the infill extension has allowed the kitchen to move sideways into the new area.
By turning the ground floor into an open-plan layout, the architects have made it easier to maximise space, and the infill extension has allowed the kitchen to move sideways into the new area.
The kitchen floor is under-heated and laid with large, concrete-effect tiles.
“We’d been looking for a more cost-effective alternative to polished concrete,” says Chris. “You can get these tiles in sizes up to 900mm sq, and if you get the joints close enough, they create a clean look. These are around £40 per sq m, while polished concrete is around £180 per sq m.”
Floor tiles, N&C Tiles.
“We’d been looking for a more cost-effective alternative to polished concrete,” says Chris. “You can get these tiles in sizes up to 900mm sq, and if you get the joints close enough, they create a clean look. These are around £40 per sq m, while polished concrete is around £180 per sq m.”
Floor tiles, N&C Tiles.
The couple chose Diane Berry Kitchens to install the kitchen, and the team at Guy Taylor Associates worked closely with them to help with the design.
Diane Berry designed the space to suit the needs of a busy family, with the opportunity to “hide the messy breakfast stuff, as they all rush and run out the doors in the mornings”.
A large ‘breakfast unit’, with space for a toaster, coffee maker and kettle, sits conveniently next to the fridge and can be closed when not in use.
Mike says the central island works brilliantly, and explains, “We often end up spending the whole evening sitting around this space, especially in the summer.”
Diane Berry designed the space to suit the needs of a busy family, with the opportunity to “hide the messy breakfast stuff, as they all rush and run out the doors in the mornings”.
A large ‘breakfast unit’, with space for a toaster, coffee maker and kettle, sits conveniently next to the fridge and can be closed when not in use.
Mike says the central island works brilliantly, and explains, “We often end up spending the whole evening sitting around this space, especially in the summer.”
“The finishes needed to hide finger prints and doggy tail marks, too,” Diane says. “So the material I chose is textured and forgiving.”
Textured laminate kitchen units, Eggersmann and Alno.
Textured laminate kitchen units, Eggersmann and Alno.
Diane’s team fitted a line of mirrored cabinets along the wall of the side return to “make the narrow area look twice the size”.
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Discover kitchen designers and fitters near you
At the end of the run of wall units, the kitchen designers and architects needed to work out how to use the area under the low sash window. The solution was a storage nook with shelves beneath a small surface.
“It’s almost dual-purpose, as you can store things below and use it as a seat as well,” Chris says.
Mike adds, “The low storage works perfectly and doubles as a hatch through to the dining room when we’re entertaining in there. I’m still a big fan of cookery books, so it’s a great place for them, too.”
The double oven is surrounded by a casing and shelves above. “It livens up a plain wall,” says Chris.
Looking for bar stools? Browse through a huge selection in the Houzz Shop
“It’s almost dual-purpose, as you can store things below and use it as a seat as well,” Chris says.
Mike adds, “The low storage works perfectly and doubles as a hatch through to the dining room when we’re entertaining in there. I’m still a big fan of cookery books, so it’s a great place for them, too.”
The double oven is surrounded by a casing and shelves above. “It livens up a plain wall,” says Chris.
Looking for bar stools? Browse through a huge selection in the Houzz Shop
The original floorplan shows how the kitchen was located in the centre of the space, with no connection to the garden.
The new layout is open, spacious and full of light. “It just works perfectly,” Mike says, “the light, the connection to the garden, how it makes sense of the rest of the house and how it connects us all no matter what we’re doing individually – homework, watching TV, gardening, cooking, reading, surfing or simply tidying up.”
Tell us…
What do you like about this open-plan space with its side return extension? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Tell us…
What do you like about this open-plan space with its side return extension? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Who lives here Builder Mike Fairhurst with his wife and three children
Location Macclesfield, Cheshire
Property A Georgian townhouse with four bedrooms and two bathrooms
Extension dimensions 7.5 sq m
Architect Chris Rodgers of Guy Taylor Associates
Kitchen designer Diane Berry of Diane Berry Kitchens
Photos by Guy Taylor Associates and Central Photography
Before Mike and Diane Fairhurst moved into this Georgian townhouse with their family, the property’s three floors had been used as office space.
“It had been offices for 52 years and wasn’t suitable for living in,” says architect Chris Rodgers, who was called in to design a ground-floor space that worked for a modern family.
Owner Mike, who worked closely with Chris to realise the finished design, says, “Our main brief was to create a workable family room connected to the rest of the house. Most importantly, we wanted to get as much natural light into the space as possible.”