A sorry sight indeed, this now beautiful 1900s family home had been left in the hands of poor decision makers. A cramped and dark ground-floor was 'supported' by numerous single-storey extensions to the rear, leaving the whole house feeling unconnected and as though it simply didn't work.
Calling in the architects for help was a great move, leading not only to a beautifully restored façade, but also a super contemporary double-wing extension that changed this house forever.
Let's take a look!
You can't deny that this house has an abundance of great things going for it, but it does manage to look like the home of an unhappy dignitary that took up murder as a hobby!
There is a lot of potential for greatness here, but it seems to have fallen by the wayside. With a dire need for more internal space, couldn't these large grounds be put to good use?
It's great to see what some new windows, building team craftsmanship and a lick of paint can do, but wait… that's not all that has happened here.
On paper the new extension shouldn't work with the rest of the house, style-wise. However, in reality it helps to bring it bang up-to-date, while retaining some gorgeous features. As this is only one wing of a large wraparound extension that we can see, just imagine all the space inside!
An alternate front view of the new single-storey extension.
In the past, this property had been extended to the rear with single-storey linear rooms, which reduced the usage and size of the only southerly facing garden.
To the side of the property, there was a storey precast concrete garage and shed.
Having lost a great deal of the garden due to unimpressive but numerous previous extensions, it must be amazing to claw it all back and enjoy such a bright and sunny view, all from the new kitchen.
This one wing is well thought out, with all food-related and sociable elements in one spot. More than that, the design has also been kept interesting. No boxy add-ons here, thank you very much.
You can tell from the modern style of the new build that the owners aren't afraid to take some risks. While many people would have opted for a dazzling white, contemporary kitchen set up, we can't help but fall head over heels for this orange and navy.
What a step away from the norm! With a slimline white countertop, the whole room feels geared towards fun, enjoyment and a real joie de vivre!
Sometimes we look at extension designs and wonder if they aren't very engaging for architects, as so many fall flat for silly reasons. Boring windows, a boxy design that doesn't work with the house or even bad decorating upon completion. Fortunately, none of that applies here.
The long slices of glazing in the walls keep everything luxe and contemporary, while the décor is simply delightful. Finishing these superb extra wings with galvanised roofs makes the new additions stand out, but only because they dared to be different!
For more extension inspiration, take a look at this Ideabook: 18 house improving extensions (you can actually afford).