Rear and Side Extension

St Margarets, Richmond

Unused space

Cliff and Pia had lived in their St Margarets home for several years before they called us in. Having lived in the house, they knew exactly what worked for them - they had lots of space from previous extensions - and what didn’t - lots of it was never used. The other issue that needed resolving, was that the existing extensions were getting old and needed some upgrades.

After working through lots of different options, we sat down together and agreed on a reconfigured layout for the ground floor, making better use of all that space, and some much needed thermal upgrades to the existing extensions.

Redefined areas

The existing layout had an underused front living room, a very small and dark kitchen in the middle of the plan, and a spacious - and heavily used - family room at the rear.

Our new layout redefined the use of each area. The front room has become the main living room. Keeping the beautiful original fireplace and cornice, and adding new shelving and storage cupboards, the living room has become a perfect retreat at the end of the day.

The middle room, which is where the original kitchen sat, has been redesigned as a study, with more built in joinery - specially designed to hold books and Cliffs record collection.

A WC and utility cupboard are tucked away in the hallway.

And then right at the back we’ve created a large kitchen and dining area - spacious and light - the perfect space for socialising.

The existing rear and side extensions were rebuilt, with a new glazed roof to the side return, and new doors and windows to the back. The rear wall and roof of the rear extension were rebuilt to current standards and reclad with vertical cedar cladding to mirror the existing garden studio.

We designed a large L-shaped kitchen with an island, in collaboration with Plykea. There are loads of storage cupboards, space for a wine fridge and even a built in wine rack. With the hob and sink tucked against the wall, the island is left free for food prep or a big surface to lay out food and drinks when entertaining.

On the opposite side of the room, a dining bench wraps around the back of the house and gives a new view of the garden through the picture window.

Same space, better space

Cliff and Pia didn’t gain any extra floor space from this project, but what they did get is a design that makes full use of all the space they already had. It’s a great example of how you don’t always have to extend to get the space you want - sometimes you just need some fresh eyes and a bit of a reconfigure.

The ground floor is now one large semi-open plan space, but with clearly defined areas. The family all have space for their separate activities, but when they want to be together, the spacious and light filled kitchen is perfect for entertaining and cooking up a storm. I can confirm they make a mean Sunday lunch!