Rear extension, garage conversion & interior remodelling, Hertfordshire
A 1970’s solid brick built detached property with an existing two storey side extension.
The clients came to us having visited a previous project. They asked if we would join them at a viewing of the property before making a decision to buy the property with a view to purchasing. We joined them and standing in a house full of potential obscured by two decades of piecemeal alteration: a two-storey side extension, a garage absorbed into an entrance, spaces stacked without any real consideration.
The brief was clear in aspiration if not yet in detail, more space, a kitchen worthy of the family, and a home that finally felt like a home by making the spaces interact better with each other.
The goal was never simply to add, it was to connect. To let the house breathe in a way it never quite had.
The solid brick elevation that ran the length of the main side of the property presented the main challenge. Rather than resist it, we worked with its mass, positioning the kitchen and its full-height cabinetry against it, tucking a generous walk-in larder into the central area without natural light. The larder became part of the kitchen yet still allowing separation between cooking and dining while keeping the whole floor plate connected.
The kitchen sits along the solid brick elevation, where full-height units make deliberate use of the darker aspect rather than fighting it. A walk-in larder bridges the gap between kitchen and dining, a transitional space that offers separation when needed but keeps the flow intact by default. The dining room is placed at the heart of the plan, acting as the connective centre of the home's social life. Beyond it, the music room, snug/gym occupies a footprint extended by just one metre, enough to introduce full-height glazing and claim the light that would otherwise have been lost.
The breakthrough into the former garage completed the sequence, drawing the dining room into the centre of the home and anchoring the formal dining area. What had been residual space became the hub of daily life.
The house now has a coherence it lacked at purchase. Each space warrants its position, the kitchen tucked against the solid elevation linking to the larder, the dining room claiming the centre, the music room open to the garden. Nothing is wasted and the clients have a home that suits how they live.
The music room requested as a flexible snug and gym space risked becoming the darkest corner of the plan. Absorbing it into the existing footprint would have limited the light. Instead a single metre added to its depth created the clearance for full-height glazing and transformed the room entirely. A small decision with dramatic effects, the kind that only becomes obvious in retrospect.
“Paresh has done an incredible job of helping us realise the vision for our family home. His experience, patience and meticulous attention to detail has been crucial in helping us navigate step-by-step the journey from a design on paper to the final end result.
After hearing what we wanted to achieve with a rear extension, garage conversion and refurbishment, he came up with really creative solutions to achieve this. For example, his suggestion to incorporate bifold doors between the lounge and kitchen/dining area has meant we have lots of light going from the front to the back of the house. He helped design a beautiful open plan kitchen/dining space with a cosy nook for seating, in which our friends and family have really enjoyed spending time. The idea of a walk-in larder to easily visualise and access food and kitchen items has been a really nice touch for the family.
We would highly recommend Paresh for anyone wishing to help design their own special space and home!"