Do you dream your dark, poky kitchen was a spacious family hub? Or wish you had an extra bedroom when guests come to stay? You might find yourself asking whether it’s time to upsize, or maybe extend?
If you’re considering improving rather than moving, there are plenty of ways of doing so without diminishing your property’s charm. Extensions come in many shapes and sizes. A side return, a glass box extension or a loft conversion are just a few examples. However, it’s not only about creating extra space, but also what you do then do with it. We expect so much more from our homes, so it is important to consider if your plans improve the existing layout.
Deciding whether to add an extension can be a balancing act, particularly if you have restricted outdoor space already or are limited in which direction you’re able to extend. For smaller properties, your only option might be a rear extension which means you could be extending at the expense of your garden or parking. It is important to weigh up all the pros and cons before you begin, or you can add little to no value at all.
If you’re looking to renovate, we recently sat down with Vic Johnson, Managing Director of Shropshire-based firm Johnson Design Partnership, to get the expert perspective on how to get started. Alternatively, if you’re just simply looking for inspiration, we’ve picked five properties on the market which have got extensions right:
Using an extension to create an open plan kitchen/breakfast/living room can create a family hub – and Cleave Farm has mastered if perfectly:
The timer-clad modern extension at Oak Cottage empathises the styling of original house and the two sets of French doors connects it to the garden to blur the lines between indoor and outdoor living:
The glass-sided link between the old property and the new extension at Berry Cottage maximise light and space, as well as creating an unusual study space:
Halsey Street is an excellent example of how to extend a terraced home. The ground floor has been extended to create a large kitchen/dining room, with the roof creating a terrace for the first floor:
If you’re looking for an award-winning example of a ‘glass box’ extension’, there’s one at Great Tangley Manor. It won the New Building’s Category of the Waverley Design Awards in 2007 – and we can see why:
