For clients with a love of cooking and gardening, the kitchen, and the way it connects with the outside space are all-important. Yet this spacious Edwardian semi-detached home had an ageing extension that effectively separated the garden from the interior.
The proposal was for a new brick extension that opened up views to the garden and allowed natural light to penetrate far into the inner rooms of the house. The secret was glazing. A large, frameless window above the worktop and a full height frameless window alongside it create a wide, uninterrupted opening that makes the garden a feature of the kitchen. High levels of insulation – 50% better than building regulations – offset any heat loss.
The beautiful timber roof structure and veneers in the kitchen are all taken from a single ash tree from Cumbria, as is the ash framed sliding door flush with the threshold. The kitchen itself is a bespoke design with in situ polished concrete worktops and an elegantly tiled floor.
Externally the extension has a brick wall with relief detailing, and a wildflower roof to attract bees and increase urban biodiversity.
"Chalk's design for the extension to our Edwardian house was a bold statement of modern, sustainable design which maximised the use of light and space and the relationship between the house and the garden. The design was imaginative yet sympathetic to the existing house and is an entirely original work"
