Kitchen extension architect in London
GOAStudio helps London homeowners decide whether to extend, reconfigure or relocate their kitchen, then develops the design and manages the architectural work through the agreed project stages.
A successful kitchen extension does more than add floor area. It can bring light into a dark ground floor, improve the route to the garden and give cooking, dining, family life and work their proper place. The important question is what combination of new and existing space will make the whole home work better.
As a London residential architecture practice, we provide property-specific design and approval advice for rear, side-return and wraparound kitchen extensions, as well as projects where reorganising the existing plan is the better answer. We work with houses, ground-floor flats and maisonettes, including period homes, conservation-area properties and listed buildings.
GOAStudio kitchen extension services at a glance
Who we help: London homeowners considering a kitchen extension, kitchen-diner or wider ground-floor renovation.
What we help you decide: whether to extend, reconfigure or relocate the kitchen; which layout best supports everyday life; and which planning and technical route is appropriate.
Typical project stages: feasibility, survey, concept design, planning or permitted-development advice, technical design, tendering information and, where appointed, construction support.
Typical outcomes: better light and garden connection, clearer circulation, integrated storage, flexible living space and a design that considers comfort, energy use and the character of the existing home.
Where we work: across North, East, South and West London, with experience of varied properties and planning contexts.
On this page
Muswell Hill Haringey N10 Side kitchen extension by GOAStudio architects Through views
Roof and kitchen house extension Kingston KT2 – Connected spaces
Hackney N16 Kitchen extension and house renovation by GOAStudio London architects Kitchen island
Kitchen extension Highgate Conservation Area N6 House renovation and contemporary design by GOAStudio architects – Breakfast bar area
Rear house extension Highgate Conservation area Haringey N6 by GOAStudio architects – Kitchen island and dining
Architect designed bungalow rear and roof extension Stoneleigh KT17 – Kitchen and dining
Architect designed house wraparound extension Maryland Newham E15 – Kitchen island area
High Barnet EN5 Residential extension locally Listed house – Living and kitchen
GOAStudio London residential architecture
George Omalianakis, BA (Hons) B.Arch Pg Dip Environmental Design.
Chartered RIBA architect and ARB registered.
RIBA Conservation Registrant specialism in conservation areas, period and Listed buildings.
Residential expert contributor for magazines including Which? magazine and Ideal Home.
Last reviewed by George Omalianakis for GOAStudio: August 2026
Not sure whether to extend, reconfigure or relocate your kitchen?
Send us your address, photographs and a short outline of what you hope to achieve. Through our free Feasibility Review, we can consider the property, planning context and visible constraints and give you an informed first view of the likely next step.
Feasibility Review
A request a Feasibility Review is often the best first step if you want a realistic view of planning restrictions, design scope and what is worth pursuing before you commit further.
Home Consultation
If you already need more detailed, property-specific advice, Book a home consultation and we can help you clarify the brief, priorities and likely next steps.
What does a kitchen extension architect do, and what should you decide first?
A kitchen extension architect helps you test design options and coordinate the planning, structural and servicing issues affecting the project. The first decision is not how large to build, but whether extending, reconfiguring or relocating the kitchen will produce the best home.
Extend
Usually worth exploring when: the existing kitchen genuinely lacks sufficient space or garden connection.
Potential benefit: additional floor area and greater freedom to organise cooking, dining and family space.
Watch carefully: garden loss, construction cost and natural light reaching the original rooms.
Reconfigure
Usually worth exploring when: the home has enough floor area but the doors, rooms and circulation work poorly.
Potential benefit: substantial improvement with less new construction.
Watch carefully: structural openings, storage, acoustic separation and service locations.
Relocate
Usually worth exploring when: another part of the ground floor offers better proportions, natural light or garden access.
Potential benefit: the former kitchen can become a utility room, study, playroom or quieter living area.
Watch carefully: drainage, ventilation and how the new kitchen connects with the remaining rooms.
The best answer often combines a proportionate extension with reconfiguration. Extending too deeply can darken the middle room, while removing too much wall can reduce storage and separation.
Define the brief before choosing the form
The brief should reflect daily life rather than a catalogue image: who cooks, where work or homework happens and what needs storing. Furniture, kitchen units and circulation are tested alongside the architecture.
A kitchen designer may develop cabinetry, appliances and finishes. The architect considers the wider building: walls, levels, light, structure, ventilation, drainage, approvals and the relationship with the rest of the home.
George’s view: “After working on 500 residential projects across London, our experience is that an extension should do the least amount of building needed to make the whole ground floor work properly. Additional area is valuable only when it improves light, circulation, storage and the relationship with the garden.”
Why appoint GOAStudio as your kitchen extension architect?
GOAStudio combines residential design, London planning experience and technical coordination within a direct architect-led service. George remains personally involved, so advice about the layout, approvals and existing building is considered together rather than passed between unrelated teams.
- Residential depth: long-term experience of extensions, renovations, flats and period homes across London.
- Direct architect involvement: George is personally involved in the advice and design.
- Whole-home thinking: we consider the effect on light, circulation, storage, comfort and future flexibility beyond the new kitchen.
- Planning and conservation judgement: design is developed with the property’s borough context, heritage and likely approval route in mind.
- Clear appointments: every proposal identifies the agreed stages, deliverables, assumptions and fees.
George also contributes homeowner-focused architectural advice to publications including Which? and Ideal Home. GOAStudio’s published kitchen-extension advice follows the same principle as our project work: improve the whole home rather than attaching a larger room to it.
Kitchen extensions for period, conservation-area and listed homes
Older London homes can often accommodate thoughtful change, but the design should start with the building’s character, construction and previous alterations. Their proportions, fabric and patterns of light can guide a new intervention.
Being in a conservation area does not automatically remove every permitted-development right. Restrictions depend on the work, the property and any local Article 4 Direction or planning condition. Even where planning permission is required, a contemporary extension may be acceptable if its scale, roof form, materials and effect on the host building and neighbours are well resolved. Our conservation-area architect service explains this work in more detail.
If a building is listed, consent is required for alterations or extensions that affect its special character. This can include internal as well as external work. Planning permission is separate and may also be required. See Historic England’s Listed Building Consent guidance and our listed-building architect service.
George’s conservation training and project experience help us consider historic fabric, planning requirements, modern comfort and the practical needs of the kitchen as one design problem. The intention is not to freeze the home in time, but to make change that is legible, proportionate and appropriate to the particular building.
What does GOAStudio’s kitchen extension service include?
GOAStudio offers a stage-based service. Before work begins, our proposal identifies the agreed stages, deliverables, assumptions and fee. Planning, technical design, tendering and construction support are included only where agreed.
1. Feasibility — an informed first view
You receive: an initial assessment of the property, planning context, visible constraints and whether extending, reconfiguring or relocating the kitchen appears to be the most useful direction. The free Feasibility Review is a desktop assessment rather than a design appointment.
2. Measured survey — accurate existing information
You receive: measured drawings of the relevant parts of the existing property. These provide the basis for design and help identify levels, boundaries, drainage, earlier additions and structural questions requiring further investigation.
3. Concept design — tested layout options
You receive: design options showing extension form, internal layout, furniture, daylight and garden relationships through plans and, where useful, sections, sketches or three-dimensional views.
4. Developed design and planning — an agreed application package
You receive: a refined design and the architectural drawings and supporting information required for the agreed planning, permitted-development or Lawful Development Certificate route. Where appointed, we submit the application and respond to planning queries. Approval cannot be guaranteed, but a clear strategy can reduce avoidable risk.
5. Technical design — coordinated Building Regulations information
You receive: the agreed level of technical drawings and specifications for Building Regulations and contractor pricing, coordinated with structural and other specialist designs. Planning drawings alone are not normally sufficient for construction. See our Building Regulations architectural service.
6. Tendering — comparable contractor proposals
You receive: tender information appropriate to the project and assistance inviting, comparing and clarifying contractor prices where this stage forms part of our appointment.
7. Construction — the agreed level of site support
You receive: the agreed level of contractor-query support, site review and contract administration. This helps maintain continuity between the design and the work being built, while the contractor remains responsible for construction methods, workmanship, safety and programme.
Which type of kitchen extension might suit your London home?
The most suitable type depends on the footprint, garden, orientation, neighbours, previous alterations and planning context. These are starting points rather than standard solutions.
Side-return kitchen extensions
A side-return extension uses the narrow strip beside the rear projection of many Victorian and Edwardian terraces. It can create a practical kitchen-diner while retaining much of the garden, but the original rooms still need sufficient daylight. See our side-return extension guide.
Rear kitchen extensions
A single-storey rear extension can connect the kitchen with the garden and suit many house types. Its success depends less on maximum depth than on how the new room connects to the existing plan. Read our guidance on rear extensions in London.
Wraparound kitchen extensions
A wraparound extension combines side and rear additions. It creates more freedom to reorganise the ground floor but takes more garden and can affect neighbours more. See our guide to wraparound extensions.
Kitchen extensions to flats and maisonettes
A ground-floor flat with garden access may offer a good opportunity, but flats and maisonettes do not have the householder permitted-development rights available to many houses. Planning, freeholder consent and neighbour effects need early review.
Kitchen-led whole-house projects
The kitchen may form part of a larger renovation, loft conversion or energy upgrade. Testing the whole project before dividing it into phases can prevent one stage making another more difficult. Our London house-extension service explains the wider approach.
Further guidance for London homeowners
- Planning Portal: planning permission for extensions
- Planning Portal: Building Regulations for extensions
- GOV.UK: party walls and building work
- Historic England: Listed Building Consent
- Thames Water: build-over agreements
- RIBA Conservation Register
Important: this page provides general information, not property-specific planning, legal, structural or building-control advice. Requirements should be checked for the particular property and proposed work before decisions are made or construction begins.
How should a kitchen extension be designed around everyday life?
A well-designed kitchen extension should improve light, circulation, storage, comfort and the connection outside together. Solving one issue in isolation can create another.
Natural light without unnecessary overheating
London terraces often have a dark middle room. Rooflights, clerestory glazing, internal openings and doors can bring light deeper into the plan, but more glass is not automatically better. Orientation, summer sun, privacy, shading and heat loss all matter. Different light levels can also give parts of a larger room their own character.
A deliberate relationship with the garden
Large doors can open the room to the garden, but the design should also work when they are closed. We consider views, steps, thresholds and everyday routes. Framing one good view can be more effective than glazing the whole elevation.
Clear circulation and useful storage
The route through the kitchen should not cross the main cooking area. Storage for food, appliances, bins and laundry needs early planning. The entrance, middle room, utility space and garden access may also need adjustment.
Flexible but not featureless space
Some households value open-plan living; others need acoustic separation or a quiet room. Sliding doors, wide openings, ceiling changes and furniture zones can create connection without removing every division. A play area might later become a study or a dining area may need to accommodate work.
Structure, services and comfort developed together
Drainage, extract ventilation, heating, electrics, structure and insulation affect the architecture. Addressing them early helps avoid awkward bulkheads and misplaced equipment. A structural engineer will normally prepare structural calculations and details. Depending on the project, input may also be required from an energy assessor, mechanical and electrical engineer, drainage specialist, arboricultural consultant or acoustic specialist. We coordinate the relevant information where this forms part of our appointment.
What approvals might a London kitchen extension need?
A kitchen extension may need several separate approvals. Planning permission and Building Regulations are different systems, and approval under one does not remove the need to consider the other.
Planning permission or permitted development
Some house extensions can be permitted development if every relevant limitation and condition is met; flats and maisonettes do not have equivalent householder rights. A planning application, prior approval or Lawful Development Certificate may instead be appropriate. See the Planning Portal extension guidance, our planning-permission service and our permitted-development service.
Building Regulations approval
Most extensions require Building Regulations approval, even when planning permission is unnecessary. The requirements include structure, fire safety, insulation, ventilation, drainage, glazing and electrics. A local authority or registered building control approver may handle a typical domestic application. See the Planning Portal’s guidance on Building Regulations for extensions.
Party wall procedures
Certain work to a party structure or boundary, and excavation near neighbouring foundations, can engage the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. This is separate from planning. The government’s party-wall guidance explains when notice may be required.
Freeholder, leaseholder and lender consent
Owners of flats and leasehold homes may need written consent from the freeholder or management company. The lease may control structural and external alterations, access and working hours, and the freeholder may request drawings, structural information or legal agreements.
Public sewers, drainage and trees
Building over or near a public sewer may require an agreement with the sewerage undertaker. Thames Water explains build-over agreements for properties in its area. Protected trees, shared drains and surface-water disposal can also affect the design.
Where these matters apply and form part of our appointment, GOAStudio can prepare or coordinate architectural information for freeholder and Thames Water submissions, identify likely Party Wall requirements and liaise with structural engineers, party wall surveyors and other specialists. Specialist statutory or legal advice remains the responsibility of the appropriately appointed consultant.
Selected GOAStudio kitchen extension projects across London
These completed projects demonstrate how different property types, homeowner priorities and planning contexts lead to different architectural responses.
Hackney N16: side extension and house renovation
Homeowner aim: enlarge the kitchen and dining area and improve the ground-floor arrangement of a Stoke Newington terrace.
Design response: a single-storey side extension and wider renovation developed around circulation, sightlines and natural light.
Service and outcome: consultation, measured survey, planning, approvals and liaison with the consultant and contractor team through to completion in summer 2023. View the Hackney N16 kitchen extension.
Highgate N6: kitchen extension in a conservation area
Homeowner aim: create a rear kitchen and family extension within a sensitive historic setting, sloping garden and mature landscape.
Design response: a stepped form, pitched edge, green roof and long rooflight brought light into the plan while reducing the effect on the neighbour. The design evolved in response to planning and conservation comments.
Service and outcome: consultation, survey, planning, Building Regulations information and construction-stage support through to completion in spring 2025. View the Highgate kitchen extension.
Lewisham SE13: rear extension and garage conversion
Homeowner aim: form an enlarged kitchen, dining and living area with a stronger garden connection, alongside a garage conversion.
Design response: full-height doors, corner glazing and rooflights opened the room to the garden and brought daylight deeper into the plan.
Service and outcome: consultation, survey, planning and Building Regulations design, approvals and kitchen-area redesign. Completed in 2018. View the Lewisham SE13 rear kitchen extension.
Kilburn, Brent NW2: conservation-area garden-flat extension
Homeowner aim: extend a ground-floor garden flat to create a larger kitchen and dining area.
Design response: a rear extension and internal alterations developed for a garden flat within a conservation area, with planning and technical requirements considered together.
Service and outcome: consultation, measured survey, planning, Building Regulations design, construction information, site visits and consultant liaison through to completion in winter 2015. View the Kilburn garden-flat extension.
South Woodford IG8: six-metre rear extension
Homeowner aim: create a kitchen, living and dining space opening to the garden, together with a utility and WC.
Design response: sliding-folding and fixed glazing created garden access and views, while rooflights brought light above the kitchen and dining areas.
Service and outcome: consultation, survey, planning, technical Building Regulations information and tendering information. Completed in summer 2020. View the South Woodford rear extension.
For another example of a carefully scaled rear addition, see our completed Nunhead SE15 kitchen extension.
Kitchen extension architect FAQs
Do I legally need an architect for a kitchen extension?
You do not legally need an architect for every kitchen extension. Architectural advice is particularly useful when the project changes the wider layout, needs planning judgement or requires coordination between design, structure, services and approvals. Anyone using the title “architect” in the UK must be registered with the Architects Registration Board.
Will my kitchen extension need planning permission?
It depends on the property and proposal. Some house extensions can be permitted development, but flats and maisonettes do not have equivalent householder rights. The extension’s form, planning history, an Article 4 Direction, planning condition or heritage designation may make an application necessary.
Does a kitchen extension need Building Regulations approval?
Most kitchen extensions require Building Regulations approval whether or not they need planning permission. Technical information commonly addresses structure, fire safety, insulation, ventilation, drainage, glazing and electrics, coordinated with any specialist designs.
How long does a kitchen extension project take?
An architect-led kitchen extension should be planned in months rather than weeks. Time is needed for survey, design decisions, approvals, technical coordination, tendering and construction. Conservation, listed-building, Party Wall, freeholder or sewer matters can add further stages. We prepare a project-specific outline programme once the scope and likely approval route are understood.
How much does a kitchen extension architect cost?
Architectural fees depend on project complexity, available information and the stages included. GOAStudio prepares a tailored, stage-based proposal after reviewing the property and brief. The overall budget should distinguish construction, kitchen supply, professional consultants, application charges, VAT and contingency rather than treating them as one figure.
Can GOAStudio work with my chosen builder or kitchen supplier?
Yes, subject to the agreed appointment and suitable project arrangements. We can coordinate the architectural design with a kitchen supplier, structural engineer and other consultants. If a contractor or supplier is appointed early, their specialist information and responsibilities should be clearly defined so that gaps or conflicting assumptions do not emerge later.
Can I extend a ground-floor flat or maisonette?
Potentially, if the property has suitable access to external space and the proposal is acceptable in planning and legal terms. A full planning application is usually required because householder permitted-development rights do not apply to flats and maisonettes. Freeholder consent, the lease, neighbour amenity, shared services and access for construction also need early review.
When should I appoint a kitchen extension architect?
Ideally, speak to an architect before fixing the kitchen layout, requesting firm builder prices or committing to an extension size. Early advice allows layout, light, planning, structure and services to be considered together while the design can still change without unnecessary cost.
What should I send for an initial Feasibility Review?
Send the property address, several photographs and a short explanation of what is not working and what you hope to achieve. If available, include estate-agent plans, previous drawings, planning decisions or relevant lease information. These do not replace a measured survey, but they help us give a more useful initial response.
What is the best first step for your kitchen extension?
Request a free Feasibility Review
If you are not yet sure what is realistic, send us your address, photographs and a short outline of your priorities. We will review the site context, planning history and visible constraints and respond with early advice tailored to the property. This is an initial desktop review, not a measured survey or design appointment.
Book a Home Consultation
If you need more detailed advice at the property, George can visit for up to two hours to discuss the existing home, possible layouts, planning and technical considerations and sensible next steps. The Home Consultation costs £250 plus VAT. It is a standalone service with no obligation to proceed, and its fee is not credited against a later architectural appointment.
Let’s talk about your home—and how it could work better for you.
Use the GOAStudio contact page to request a Feasibility Review or book a Home Consultation.
Not sure where to start with your renovation or extension?
Read this before you meet an architect, speak to a builder or spend money on drawings.
This free, architect-prepared guide walks you through the 15 essential questions every homeowner should ask before starting a project.
"Should we renovate, extend… or walk away?
15 Questions every London homeowner must ask before starting a project to include homes in Conservation Areas and Listed Buildings."
Whether you're planning a modest rear extension or major alterations to a listed home, it will help you avoid expensive mistakes and give you clarity on what’s possible for your property. Includes guidance on:
Planning approvals. Conservation areas.
Timelines and costs. Appointments you need to make.
Design and sustainability options.
When to press ahead and when to walk away
We provide architectural services for residential projects in the following London Boroughs:
Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newham, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, Westminster
We specialise in
- Greener homes
- Retrofit and energy efficiency for older and traditional buildings
- Conservation areas
- Listed Buildings
- Homeowner architectural services
- Property developments architectural services
GOAStudio London residential architecture limited.
86-90 Paul Street, EC2A 4NE, Hackney
Chestnut Avenue South, E17 9EJ, Waltham Forest
t: 0203 984 3005
