The art of extending effectively
Beckenham
This three-bed family home had plenty of 1920s charm but lacked space. A new extension adds flow and functionality to the house – and makes the most of an expansive garden.
For the client, this renovation was all about adding as much new space as their budget would permit. Fortunately, they were in possession of a London property with a very rare trait: an oversized garden. The new extension reclaims a little of that ground, while leaving plenty of room for perambulating.
Rather than tacking rooms onto the existing jumble of extensions, we began by knocking everything back to the original building. We could then add a single, airy room in one go, saving on cost and maximising space and functionality.
The new design takes inspiration from mid-century Californian architecture. Though London doesn’t usually provide the space of Palm Springs, this extension is a generous 11 metres across. That creates room for an open kitchen, a dining area, and a spacious lounge arranged in a comfortable open-plan format. Hosts and guests can now cook, relax and socialise together without stepping on each other’s toes. And thanks to an entire wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, that big garden can be enjoyed even on rainy afternoons.
To help maintain the calm, airy atmosphere of this space, we tucked a new pantry area in behind the kitchen. This houses bulkier appliances like the coffee machine and toaster, saving the kitchen surfaces for more ambitious culinary projects. Separate utility and boot rooms also help to keep the living spaces free of clutter.
The open-plan feel extends throughout the ground floor with the help of the ‘racecourse principle’. A single path runs right around the house, connecting the extension, utility room, boot room, garage, bathroom and front rooms. The client now has a much bigger space than before, but everything in it is closer at hand.
Within the original 1920s building, we focused on adjusting the flow between rooms rather than committing to an expensive overhaul. We expanded the entranceway using space borrowed from the old kitchen, creating a more open first impression of the home.
The punchy palette of the original 1920s building now softens into greys and greens in the extension. This creates a gentle transition into the shades of the garden beyond. The client’s art collection has room to shine in rooms at the front of the house, while the natural world takes centre stage at the back.
