Extensions

This mid-terrace suburban house already had a 3m extension, but it was impractical for the family, being divided into a small kitchen, unconnected to the garden, and a 'study' that was really no more than a corridor linking living room to kitchen to garden. Our innovative design only went out a further 1.8, yet looks and feels far bigger as a result of the integration of the 2.3m patio.

The key to connecting these spaces was a continuous floor with level threshold, which we achieved with a hand-crafted microcement surface that even wraps up the front of the bench. The side walls also continue outside onto the patio, as does the run of kitchen units on one side and bench seating on the other.

The final ingredient was to open up the entire width in-between via bifold doors, creating one huge inside/outside room for family and entertaining, complete with 10-seater dining table and a 7m long run of bench seating that also doubles as storage.

As well as demonstrating the value of connecting inside and outside spaces, this project was also a lesson in how adding just a small area of floor space can sometimes be the key to unlocking an internal reorganisation and creating spaces that are both practical and spectacular.

This project was to replace a rear conservatory and WC with a modern kitchen/diner, whilst also finding room for a utility and new WC, which we did by extending the hall to have them on either side before entering the kitchen.

The 'loft-style' originated with the size and framing style of the rear glazed wall and continued with the aesthetic of exposed brick feature walls in the living space. The stunning first impression is completed by the vaulted pitched roof and glazed gable above the doors, which also ensures that plenty of light reaches even the back of the kitchen.

Our design for this 4m rear extension incorporated the garage at the back into the house itself, creating an L-shaped room with a nook projecting into the garden and bifolds on two sides. East-facing, this corner catches the early sun making it a perfect spot for a morning coffee. We also opened up the pitched roof above this corner to help differentiate the space and bring in even more sun through a skylight.

In the kitchen, instead of more doors we added bifold windows over the sink. The impact on the kitchen is huge, making it feel wide open and connecting it with the garden without sacrificing practical unit space below.

We always strive to incorporate something different to make each project unique, and the two outstanding features here - the garden-nook and the kitchen windows - make the end result feel truly special.

This project involved extending a detached mid-Victorian (1860s) villa within a conservation area. The two-storey side extension added a garage and ceramics studio on the ground floor with a dressing room and en-suite above (next to the master bedroom).

The conservation area meant that creating a design sympathetic to the main house and wider street scene - informed by a close knowledge of the borough's Residential Design guide - was crucial to achieving planning permission. We also provided a detailed Design and Access Statement outlining the history and context of the site, local precedents, and compliance with the design guide. As well as paying attention to details like materials and window style, the decision to add a pitched roof as a continuation of the main roof slope was key to establishing a sympathetic and subordinate relationship with the main house.

In conservation areas, you normally have to demonstrate that the change only has a minor negative impact, and then offset that with 'public benefit'. However, in this case, the Planning Officer concluded that the proposal 'would have a positive contribution to the appearance of the existing dwelling', making approval straightforward. Another factor that enabled us to get permission granted first time was the approach we recommended to the client to seek pre-application advice from the Local Authority first. Permission was granted with Pre-Commencement conditions requiring detailed drawings of the windows and doors, which we also successfully discharged.

The brief was for a first floor side and rear extension to provide a new master bedroom suite. It was important to maintain the chalet character of the property at the front, but also at the rear, where our innovative asymmetrical gable design echoes the original cat-slide roof.

This project was a full refurbishment with new electrics, windows and decoration throughout, as well as a new feature kitchen-diner housed in a 3.5m rear extension.

The client wanted a traditional design that still allowed a lot of light into the extension, so, instead of bifold doors, we introduced French doors with sidelights either side and semi-circular fan light above to create a Venetian style window.

This project was for a rear kitchen-diner extension, along with adding a first floor bathroom and reorganising the loft rooms. Being within a conservation area, the project required extra sensitivity and familiarity with the borough's design guide.