Garden flat extensions London
Inspiration and ideas
London is home to a diverse typology of properties and home-owners with a variety of needs. Garden flat extensions have to create specific solutions and no two projects are the same. Consider GOAStudio your problem solvers, who will help you create the right environment for your home and lifestyle requirements. Below we have selected some projects to lend architectural inspiration and design ideas for your garden flat extension.
Design aspirations
You might find yourself walking in a rather small and modest one bed flat that instantly makes you feel at home, the spaces seem to flow, there is a clear sense of orientation even if you have never stepped in this property before, and if you happen to look carefully you will probably find lots of storage space hidden away from view in the most surprising places. This is what we aim to achieve for your home and we will need your help to understand what is important to you since this is what will drive our decision making. During the design development stage we will get to explore lots of ideas, but you can start the process now by considering answers to questions as such:
“Is this garden flat a place for us to grow into or is it a stepping stone to our dream property?” “What are the top three things we like about the flat, and what are the top three things we want to change as part of extending and re-designing it?” “Do we have a specific budget ceiling and which are the areas you want to focus the spending of most of our budget?” What are the special elements of the design we do not want to compromise, and where can we be more flexible within the context of our budget?” “What are the provisions of my Lease or Share of Freehold Agreement, and how do we need to go about securing Freeholder Approval for the building works?”
Types
By asking how to extend: Going up | This is difficult to achieve since planning policy tends to protect adjacent properties from the effect that first floor extensions tend to have on privacy and outlook. It is also worth pointing out that flats have no Permitted Development Rights which restricts options even more. Going down | This is an expensive and construction-intensive way of adding floor space and is best avoided unless absolutely necessary, especially in the context of recent planning restrictions to basement extensions. Intelligently designed basement levels can still feel spacious and airy, with access to natural light, and in specific parts of London they can still be good value for money. Going out | Rear and side extensions, by a single storey or more, traditional, contemporary, or a combination of both, typically aim to create a larger kitchen, dining and living space. At the same times such extensions can ignite a better relationship between the inside of the house and the rear garden. They tend to become the heart of the home, both in terms of the day-to-day life, but also as that special part of the home you can really stamp your aesthetic on, and transform to taste. This is the most common type of flat extension.
Or by asking why to extend: More space | Because families grow, kitchen areas are never large enough, and there is never enough storage space for your growing future needs. Better space | Because rooms can be dark, the living areas can be cut off from the garden, and everybody likes the convenience of an en-suite in the master-bedroom. Adding value | Because of stamp duty costs, the desire to step up the property ladder, and because of overall old good common sense. All of the above | Because our clients rarely have a single reason when embarking on their project, and we often have to work our way through considerations of practicality, cost, value, aesthetics, sustainability, and regulations before we put pen to paper and start with the design process.
GOAStudio | London residential architecture and interior design is an award-winning practice, specialising in architectural services for residential projects across London.
Our architectural team aims to provide a friendly and professional service. Our approach is based on carefully considering the particular aspects of each scheme before coming up with a creative way for our clients to instil their unique stamp on what we do and how we do it. Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and Architects Registration Board (ARB).
Awards + Achievements

New planning approval | Residential development and conversion to flats Hammersmith Fulham W6
Planning approval for a residential development and conversion to flats Hammersmith Fulham W6 - Erection of an additional floor at roof level; erection of front extensions at ground, first, second and third floor levels, and conversion of the ground floor garage into...
New planning approval | Residential development and conversion to flats Islington N7
Planning approval for residential development and conversion to flats Islington N7 - Single storey half-width upper floor rear extension, a new roof terrace, a new mansard roof extension, and internal alterations to create an additional 1bed flat over the upper ground...
New planning approval | Alterations and extension to a house in conservation area Harrow HA5
Planning approval conservation area Harrow HA5 - Addition of a new front porch, enclosing an existing veranda area at the rear to create a new guest room, and minor external alterations including to windows and doors. We are happy to announce that we obtained a new...