A Smart Extension Transforms a Tired Victorian House
By reconfiguring the ground floor of this Victorian terrace and extending out into the garden , Daniel Rees of Rees Architects , a professional on Houzz . co . uk — the platform that connects renovators with home improvement professionals , has carved out a bright new space in which each member of the family can comfortably live and work .
“ The owners contacted us through Houzz , as they ’ d seen our profile and liked a previous project and our reviews , and wanted to talk about how we could help them transform their own home ,” Daniel says .
“ Clients will often find my photos and previous work on the website ,” he says . “ So when they approach me , they ’ ve done lots of research , and we ’ re often a good match for each other , as they already know the sort of work I do and the areas I cover .”
“ With this project , I started by asking the owners questions about how they live , how they use the space , what their jobs are , and so on . We then did a survey at the property , looked at relevant planning policies , and put together a concept design based on the results ,” he says .
82 - www . refurbandrestore . co . uk
Rather than rip down the existing extension and knock out the back wall of the house to create a totally open space , Daniel took a more careful approach that worked with the existing structure and preserved some of the property ’ s charm . “ We wanted to keep some original features and bring as much light into the house as possible ,” he says .
By removing the rear window and building the extension around the existing back wall , Daniel created the feeling of an openplan space while actually retaining two individual rooms . He moved the kitchen into the old dining room and positioned it underneath the internal ‘ window ’, making it feel much more spacious and connected to the rest of the house .
“ When you build an extension , you always create a dark area in the middle of the house ,” he says , “ so we try to ensure the more liveable spaces are positioned next to the garden . Having glass doors leading outside connects the dining area to the patio and makes the room feel bigger .”
At the back of the kitchen , a glass door
leads into a utility space . Locating this ‘ service room ’ in the darker part of the house allowed Daniel to move the cooking and dining areas out into the light-filled extension .
“ There are a few different layers of light designed into the space ,” he says . “ We fitted pendant lights over the table and above the sink , as well as strip lighting under the kitchen cabinets .
Natural light is maximised through the inclusion of two large , triple-glazed rooflights , as well as the glazing on the back of the extension .
“ One of my favourite elements of this space is the amount of natural daylight in it ,” Daniel says , “ and I think the way the area is divided up now works really well .”
Inspired by this renovation ? Take a look at Houzz . co . uk today to get design ideas , find professionals near you and hire with confidence .