Cranford Cottage

Our clients, Helen and Andy, enlisted our expertise to reimagine their cottage to better suit their family's needs. Their existing kitchen was cramped and with a very low ceiling height meaning they couldn’t properly enjoy cooking and entertaining – something that was really important to them. The house is located green belt, meaning we had to respond to the constraints of planning as well as their brief.

Our solution was to build a single storey rear extension that stepped down from the existing ground floor entrance level opening out into a large open plan kitchen sitting and dining area. We incorporated the existing kitchen space but dropped the internal floor level so that it connected seamlessly with the new extension. By building along brick wall along the boundary with the main road, we created a visual and acoustic barrier and reoriented the view towards the garden. With full height bi-fold doors to the rear and side, the new kitchen really feels a part of their lovely garden and gives them a sense of being part of their surroundings- in all weathers. Because the garden slopes away from the house the rear corner of the extension is accessed by corner steps – the extension sits on a brick plinth which really creates a sense of drama.

The main part of the structure is a glulam frame which we have left exposed internally, with a long slot roof light centrally over the space which helps define the kitchen, dining and sitting zones. The exposed brick wall on the kitchen side creates a warm and natural palette with a backdrop to the dark green kitchen. Because the glazed element of the elevation is south facing we introduced a deep overhang creating a covered walkway and ensuring solar shading in summer time.

We really love how this extension maximises natural light and materials – and our clients are thrilled with how much the extension has improved their home!