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Extending an Edwardian Semi

A sizeable semi-detached property, this Edwardian Semi was built for a different way of living. This family of five came to me to help them reconfigure their home for the 21st century.

  • Before
  • After

Setting the Brief

Fed up of squeezing round the low level island for family meals, amidst the clothes washing, it was time for a change. Their requirements were for a large kitchen/dining space for five to cook and eat together, it should be somewhere to entertain. And also a flexible space for working from home, a library, making lego, stuff with glue! They wanted huge doors and windows with character and for the extension to feel solid and part of the original house (not a glass box on the back).

  • Kitchen before
  • Kitchen before

Notwithstanding a 180ft garden, the rear of the house was North facing and they were particularly fond of the South facing courtyard to the side of their house. They already liked to hang out there, despite the “awful concrete garage, we could do without”. We set to work to make this space an integral part of the design. It was to become “a sunny outdoor courtyard for eating alfresco and working outside in the summer” (British weather permitting).

  • Courtyard before
  • Courtyard after

The ground floor had the original kitchen set in middle of the house between large reception rooms to front and rear. It needed a new layout to reconfigure their home for today’s way of living.

  • Existing Ground Floor Plan
  • Proposed Ground Floor Plan

Transformation

Extending to the rear and to the side of the house, we created a double aspect kitchen, capturing sunlight from the south side and connecting to the much loved side courtyard, all the better with garage now gone. The old kitchen became the utility room and study, which also opens to this space.

The doors and windows, taller than standard height, have an old steel frame appearance but are actually aluminium frames which are thermally better performing. These were sourced by the client from IQ glass and are a real focal point of the space from both inside and out.

The exposed brickwork within the kitchen retains some character of the original property within the new space and is a beautiful contrast to the otherwise gallery like white space.

Finishing the kitchen just a day before their wedding, a no doubt busy last few weeks, but a wonderful space for an informal reception and a great excuse to invite guests and entertain.

This project completed Summer 2019 and was built by A. Pearce Builders.

Products and Suppliers: Kitchen – Howdens, Pendant Lights – IKEA, Roof lights – Velux, Doors and Windows – IQ Glass.

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1930’s Home Extension in a 2020 Lockdown Situation

Completed during the COVID lockdown, a few compromises were required to maintain momentum, but they got there in the end. As a client with project management skills in their own field, I wasn’t involved throughout the build, so I visited them back in September to see how it had all turned out.

“Actually having you visit makes us a bit reflective. It’s sometimes hard to appreciate the end result when you’ve lived through it but looking back it’s quite the transformation actually.”

Before and after – single storey wrap around extension

Motivation

With a tight kitchen and an under used separate dining room, the initial motivation for this project was to create a larger open plan kitchen dining space. The addition of a seating area, ground floor loo and utility room, brings this three bed 1930’s home up to speed with a more contemporary way of living.

The compact kitchen before the work was undertaken

Conscious that we were chopping and changing the original layout, we chose to push all the beams up into the ceiling void, with the benefit being that the new spaces flow from the old house right into the extension without interruption.

When you think that the whole of the kitchen used to be in what is now the utility room and ground floor loo, it’s amazing to see the difference. The new kitchen is spacious and bright, with the dining table serving unexpected dual purpose as a work from home space as the world of work continues to evolve beyond the initial project brief.

A challenging journey

Whilst the spring lockdown stopped the building work initially, it soon resumed with the construction industry carrying on as near to normal as possible. However, temporary closure of builders merchants, and paused manufacturing of some key elements, did impact the project:

“We had to change the doors and windows from aluminum to PVC because during the lockdown we couldn’t get them supplied from the people we wanted to. It was a decision we made because we didn’t want our build to take another two months.”

“We had some unexpected challenges with the kitchen installation but the end result is great. The flooring came from an online supplier because we couldn’t visit any showrooms at the time.” Having lived through every minute of the project, being at home throughout the build, my clients were somewhat relieved when it all came together at the end, after several months of washing up in the bath.

Transformation

Despite the challenges along the way, the finished extension is a real transformation from how the house used to be: “We’re really pleased with how it’s turned out, we basically live in the extension now”. The original front room which was retained can double as a spare room for guests in the future, and for now, provides a space for some privacy away from the open plan rear of the house.

We talked about some of the smaller things that make a big difference to how the house functions now and I was pleased to see that these design elements had been retained and not omitted in lieu of cost savings. Both daylight and artificial light being important considerations:

“Having the roof light in the utility room makes such a huge difference for what is essentially an indoor room, we now have daylight and ventilation here, we chose to opt for the roof light with electrical operation, which has been really good on some hot days.”

“We really like having our lights on different circuits so that we can create different moods”

Overcoming the cramped feel of a “kitchen made for one”, the new space is generous and somewhere to be enjoyed together, and eventually with family and with friends.

Building work completed summer 2020 by Steve Tyler and Sons Builders.

Products and Suppliers: Pendant lights – John Lewis, Kitchen – Wren.

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Where’s the Fish Tank?

“Where’s the fish tank?” I asked. It was one of the things I remembered from the old dining room. I suddenly realised that we hadn’t planned a spot for it in the new extension. Sadly, (although somewhat to my relief) the fish had not survived the building work. I felt somehow thankful that they did not need a space for the tank, but also guilt at my relief! I made a mental note to add ‘fish tank’ to my project checklist, it would be there along with cat flap, and the myriad of other things that need to be considered. I would not want to forget the fish tank again.

Not to downplay the loss of a pet(s), but the sadness was quickly replaced with a sense of pride from visiting the finished home (and envy – I wanted to move in!). I entered into the new extension on a sunny Monday morning after the school run – it was bright, spacious, beautifully furnished by my client – with great eye for detail.

Catalyst: A Bigger Bedroom

When I met my clients back in 2018, the original brief had been to create a larger third bedroom for their son – to extend above the existing dining room extension. Their 1960’s home had good sized rooms, albeit the third bedroom being on the smaller side. Once the process began, the realisation dawned that if you’re going to do building work, you’ll probably only want to do it once. With that, the scope expanded to extend the ground floor and renovate the kitchen as well, they wanted a space to entertain especially for family at Christmas.

Before it all began
Kitchen and dining room before the work

Journey: Some Twists and Turns

With a revised brief for a larger project we set off on a journey which had its twists and turns. A hundred year old oak tree in the front garden and the house having been previously underpinned due to subsidence added some complexity to an otherwise straightforward project; the structural engineer designed for piled foundations. The need for a specialist piling contractor alongside a general builder made for additional coordination.

Result: A Space to Entertain

Obstacles overcome, the outcome is lovely, a space for the family to enjoy and to entertain. The only downside being that COVID has limited their potential for visitors, but this will no doubt be a great entertaining space when the time comes.

The ‘slide and fold’ doors across the width of the space, adding elegance with their slim frames. The internal bi-fold doors between lounge and dining bring flexibility for open plan or closed off living. The roof lights enhance the dining space, bringing light from above. Upstairs, in the two-storey part of the extension, the enlarged third bedroom had been commandeered as the master, with a walk through dressing area adding some glamour.

“The house is finished and we love it!” That’s the feedback I love to hear. And whilst the end result is very much the point of hiring an architect, it’s good to have positive feedback on the journey to get there as well:

“Carly was sympathetic to our needs, very organised, has great communication skills and went above and beyond when working with contractors. She made the whole process as seamless as possible and we stayed on budget throughout. We are extremely pleased with the service she provided and are really pleased with our 2-storey extension.“

Building Work completed early 2020 by Duncan Crawford.

Products and Suppliers: Kitchen – Howdens, Worktop – Rocktops, Kitchen Flooring – Amtico, Pendant Lights – Koltrane Lighting , Bedroom Flooring – Quick Step LVT, Rooflights – Velux, Slide and Fold Doors – Sunseeker Doors, Internal Bi-fold Doors – Todd Doors.

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Reconnecting with the Garden and Disguising the Old as New

A familiar story…

Living in a house subjected to piecemeal development over the years, the key consideration for this family was in unlocking the back of the house to once again connect with the garden. It’s a common problem where properties have already been developed, and for this project in particular the requirement to retain one of the existing extensions brought with it an added challenge, but one that ultimately gave it its character.

Three years ago I was approached by a lovely family of four, who came to me with their tired conservatory that doubled as a playroom, and in many ways blocked their access to the garden. It was a space rarely used, always too hot or too cold, a bit of a no man’s land, very much in the way. For them it required a concerted effort to get out to the garden; especially challenging with kids.

  • Tired and piecemeal development
  • Simple form and contrasting materials
Before and after

A plan for contemporary living

Their vision was to create a versatile family room, open plan to the kitchen and dining area, and to re-establish the link between the house and the garden. It would be a space for hanging out together, for music, for kids’ homework and for getting outdoors again. Adding a significant amount of floor space to their 1930’s home, the new extension would infill the gap alongside the existing extension that had been tacked on 20 years previous. This, already containing a ground floor bedroom and bathroom, too valuable for family visitors to do away with – so it had to be retained and worked around.

  • Sketch plan layout
  • Curved glass flat rooflights
  • Versatile bright family room
From concept to completion

Delivering through design

The proposals set out to reconnect the house and garden and re-worked the circulation to the spare room, streamlining the kitchen layout. The island, which is actually not an island at all, delineates the kitchen zone whilst maintaining the visual connection right through the new space to the garden beyond. Using several large rooflights to ensure that good daylighting could penetrate the deep plan layout, the resulting spaces are bright even on a dull day. Amalgamating a series of existing roof forms into one flat roof, and with new cedar cladding across the elevation we were able to disguise the existing extension as though it were all one congruent form. The cladding, our solution to cloaking the old, brings the extension a character its own that will evolve as the seasons weather the boarding to a silvery grey. Roof trim and rainwater goods were colour matched to the new doors, and the existing window also replaced, to achieve a cohesive contemporary appearance across the new and old.

  • Existing extension to be retained
  • Existing extension overclad to match
Before and after

Changing family life for the better

Delighted with their new space and restored connection with the garden, the extension offers so much flexibility to a growing family. Opening onto the raised terrace with built in planters along the edge- their dream of indoor-outdoor living is becoming a reality. As is always the case relationships are key to project success and it was a pleasure to facilitate their vision: “we were complete novices to the process but Carly’s personal approach and excellent communication made the daunting job very manageable”.

Reconnecting with nature, a room with a view

This project was completed in Summer 2019 and built by Macbeth and Co. Building Services.

If you’re feeling inspired to reconnect with your garden then download my Project Planner to start thinking about the problems you’re looking to solve and explore the potential of your home.

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Is Open Plan always the answer?

It’s the first thing people say to me – “we want it to be more open plan” – but what is open plan living and will it suit your family?

Things open plan is: sociable, connected, illusion of more space; with the potential for it to be light and bright if done well.

Things open plan isn’t: private, quiet, clutter free, suited to all uses (don’t try clarinet practice / TV / homework simultaneously)

In a response to a recent survey on using your home during the lockdown one person noted “I’ve learned that open plan living is great, but can still feel claustrophobic when you’re in the same space all. day. long. We’re v lucky to have separate space to enjoy when we need some quiet time”. That latter point is the key – keep a separate space. Go part open plan and retain a separate room, or use internal dividers so that there is flexibility to close it off. Create a “snug” (posh word for a usually smaller second living room) – maybe it can double as home office or occasional guest room. A place to escape the little kids… a place for the bigger kids to escape you!

If you’re still up for open plan – perhaps broken plan is worth considering, this Houzz article looks at how dividers and level changes can be used to great effect. We used these principles to reformat a 1960’s home in Caversham with great success.

Open plan living with storage divider, sunken lounge and music nook

There are obvious practicalities with getting your house to become open plan – removing walls and inserting steel work; maybe you’ll need to retain a small section of wall here or there. I’m pretty sure with enough engineering the structural engineers could make your home practically float…but there’s a difference between what is possible and what is reasonable… because you have got a budget right? There are actually a fair amount of pros to keeping some walls: for storage, furniture, radiators if you’re not going for underfloor heating.

Lighting, acoustics and fire regulations also need careful consideration, to ensure that your home is both comfortable and safe. Open plan can be brilliant, but think carefully about how you and your family want to live before you commit to it.