Extension Design: Creating an Extension That Works With Your Home

When it comes to extension design, making sure your new addition works with the current house is an important part of the process. It’s not unusual to decide that your current floorplan isn’t as flexible as it could be, or perhaps there are underused spaces that don’t maximise their potential, but an extension isn’t just an add-on – it needs to be thoughtfully considered.

I’ve seen many properties where multiple extensions have been added over time, creating a disjointed rabbit warren of zones that don’t flow. No one has considered the overall layout of the house, how best to rationalize the living space that’s already there, or the most effective way to enlarge it.

Where to Start with Extension Design

It’s wise to start any extension design with a review of the existing layout. Next, you might take action to improve circulation by removing internal walls and reallocating zones with different uses. It may be that by doing this, you discover you don’t need to extend at all and that you can simply adapt the current floorplan to suit your needs.

In other instances, an extension may be the best solution – though once the existing space has been thoroughly assessed, it might be that the addition doesn’t need to be as large as you first thought. It’s also worth considering the outside space surrounding your home, as it can unveil opportunities to make the internal and external areas perform better, either by maximising views or offering flexibility during the warmer months.

My practice Lapd Architects has used this approach for some extension projects and, as a result, they look like brand new sustainable homes. So it can be a successful approach. These extension projects can provide a level of satisfaction that’s comparable with that of people who have managed to build their dream homes from scratch. Here, I explain my top 10 tips on the key points to assess for extension design success.

1. Connect the Extension to the Outdoors

Over the past several decades, modern house design has paid more attention to how buildings connect with the surrounding landscape. Previously, many homes were laid out so the bathroom or utility faced the garden, leaving little visual amenity to the kitchen, living or dining rooms. These areas are often dark and gloomy as a result.

Many properties were constructed from standard plans that could be bought from a catalogue and dropped onto the site. Unfortunately, this meant little consideration was given to how they responded to the surroundings or the opportunities for solar gain. Today, most people consider this as a design starting point . By extending, we can improve any existing house so this relationship is enhanced.

Read More: Extending Your Home: 10 Great Ways to Add Value with a New Extension

Full planning consent was required for the compact side extension to this period property in London. Vorbild Architecture carried out the design work

The way the outdoor space links to the addition is a crucial element to get right, so look at placing the kitchen, dining or living room to maximise its connection with the garden. Consider adding sliding and bifold glazed doors or making the window or door openings larger to improve natural light, too. This enables outdoor areas to become a seamless addition to the internal living spaces, especially during warmer weather.

2. Relocate Rooms to Make Space for an Extension

Utility rooms, bathrooms and cloakrooms need ventilation – but not windows or an impressive outlook. They should therefore be in darker parts of the building so living spaces can maximise the views.

Many terraced properties have the bathroom on the ground floor, blocking views to the rear garden. Relocating this zone to another area allows the kitchen and dining room to be positioned at the back of the house instead, with a large set of glazed doors leading out onto a sunny patio.

3. Transform Redundant Zones

I often visit clients’ homes and see there are under-used spaces we can integrate better by transforming them into livable zones. Integral garages, pantries or lean-to structures, like conservatories, can easily be insulated.

By removing internal walls, they can then become part of the main house. This often means the extension does not need to be as large as you first thought, making the project considerably cheaper to realise.

The money you would have otherwise spent can be used to buy a better kitchen or flooring, higher spec glazing or even towards measures that will make your home more energy efficient.

Read More: How to Design and Build a Sustainable Eco Home

4. Make Use of Natural light

If the total depth of your home starts to approach 11m, you’ll find the area towards the middle can become dark and require lots of artificial light. Therefore, you must consider ways to channel sunshine closer to these mid-zones to offset the gloom.

Many walls on the ground floor of this Victorian house were removed to create an open-plan kitchen-diner. Designed by Mark Fairhurst Architects, the side return extension features a glazed roof that sits above the light-filled new dining area

When designing a rear extension with a flat or pitched roof, aim to position a rooflight or lantern as close to the back of the original house as possible. You can create dramatic spaces using spans of overhead glazing within a vaulted ceiling.

This will invite plenty of brightness into the extension, a well as carrying it into the depths of the house, establishing a better internal environment for existing rooms.

More Inspiration: Side Return Extensions: Project Inspiration and Expert Advice

5. Good Extension Design Requires Good Flow

At Lapd Architects, we’ll often try and create a view through the property, from the point of entry all the way to the rear outdoor space. We also try to minimise the circulation channels throughout, so the principal hallway is connected to the main entrance and leads directly to the other rooms on the ground floor.

It’s possible to create more open-plan zones by removing corridors through rooms and removing walls. This way, you can achieve more habitable space without even having to extend – make sure you consider this when you and your designer are discussing layout options.

Housing a kitchen, living area and small gymnasium, this rear period home extension combines the traditional Edwardian brick features with modern flush metal cladding and glazing. The project was masterminded by Smerin Architects. Photo: Lyndon Douglas

Also, include furniture positions in your plans so that you can ensure the space will work for you. Assess where to have your television in relation to sofas, for instance, and where light switches and plug sockets need to go.