House extension ideas

Inspiration and ideas

London is home to a diverse typology of properties and home-owners with a variety of needs. House extensions aim to create specific solutions to given needs and context, and no two projects are the same. Consider GOAStudio as your problem solvers, who will help you create the right environment for your home and lifestyle requirements. House extensions types can be grouped in a variety of ways. Below we have selected some projects to lend architectural inspiration and design ideas for your house extension. Below we have selected some projects to lend architectural inspiration and design ideas for your house extension.

Architect designed house extension Grange Park Enfield N21 Outside view House extensions London | Home design

Angel Islington EC1 Listed house extension Interioir 200x200 House extensions London | Home design

Architect designed house extension Highbury Islington N5 Dinning and living areas House extensions London | Home design

Architect designed house extension Brockley Lewisham SE4 View inside out 200x200 House extensions London | Home design

Design aspirations

The architectural elements and design ideas are not what primarily create the essence of a home. Yet the created spaces accommodate everyday routines, activities, and the little moments that make up our lives. Building or extending a house is not just a box-ticking exercise about house building plans, the number of bedrooms, and cost per square foot; admittedly this seems to be the case especially with new-built houses and flats. Ultimately however, it is the genuine quality of the space around us that is essential for a happy life.

You might find yourself walking in a rather small and modest house 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 house 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:

“How long do we plan to live in the property, and how is our lifestyle likely to change over this time? What are the chances for a growing family, working from home, or picking up gardening as a hobby one day?”

“What are the top three things we like about the house, 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 where do we want the money to be focused?”

“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?”

Types

By asking how to extend:

Going up | This includes roof extensions and creating additional floors above ground floor garages for example. Such extensions are the most economical way to add floor space to your property, however careful consideration is required to create a balance between the space added and any adjacent rooms. Planning issues come into play as well in addition to issues such as of relative floor levels, the design of staircases, and the overall circulation flow across the property.

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 for the family. At the same time 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 house, 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.

All of the above | Because your needs might require a combination of solutions, and through the design development stage we will assess what is right for you and your project.

Or by asking why to extend:

More space | Because families grow, kitchen areas are never large enough, and there is never enough storage space.

Better space | Because rooms can be dark, the living areas can be cut off from the garden, and because 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 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).

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