Too often the basement excavation is the go-to fix to find this extra space but in reality this expensive solution is often not necessary. Instead there are alternatives that require consultants to problem solve and find space within the existing envelope to create these additional amenities. Sometimes all you need is the smallest of additions to trigger a re-jig and fundamentally change the way a family functions in their home. Ours came in the form of a ground floor side extension of a mere 4 meters by 70 cms. It gave us an opportunity to reconfigure their existing kitchen and find new space there for things that were previously elsewhere in the house. This, coupled with some other smart reconfigurations, created a home with more amenities, more light, a greater sense of space and an improved visual and conceptual connectivity of space.

The new kitchen extension benefited from an additional run of units and by centrally locating a wrap-around island and banquette dining table, we gained 40% more storage, more light and better views of the sky and rear garden. Locating a desk beneath the extension’s glass-on-glass roof light, we freed up the 1st floor landing which had previously housed the home office. It was here we located an additional bathroom and by further reconfigurations we kept to the same number of bedrooms but trebled the number of ensuite bathrooms.

As is often typical of semi-detached Edwardian houses, two ground floor receptions had been previously combined. Unfortunately as the hallway snakes around the staircase the rear reception narrows and before you know it to just turns into a glorified corridor and dump zone! So here we located a tv-snug. Working backwards from the optimal distance to view the tele we found we still had 55 cms to spare and so in reducing the width of this room, we could locate a floor-to-ceiling, full-length run of cloakroom cupboards accessed from the hallway. No more trainers, sports kit and coats littering the hall! And full use of a lovely secondary reception space for the family to curl up and watch TV.