AFTER FAMILY LIVING Left The end of the L-shaped open-plan living space is a cosy family living room. Sofa, rug and cushions, all Ikea. Wall lights, Anglepoise
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OUTDOOR LINK Below left The dining area links to the garden through aluminium bi-fold doors from Origin. For a similar oak dining table and chairs, try the Crossley from Oak Furniture Land. Pendant lights, Heal’s
BOLD EXTENSION Above and right An under-used double garage was demolished to create space for the new two-storey extension. Aluminium-frame windows from Origin allow light to flood in. The entire roof was replaced with contemporary slate to create a cohesive feel, while the exterior of the extension is clad in cedar
or most people, having a baby and renovating a house are two life-changing milestones that are best tackled separately. But Sally and Connor, welcomed their second son, Harry, into the world just a few months before starting a huge renovation and extension project on their home in Hampshire. The couple had relocated from Southampton to the picturesque village of Awbridge, with its quaint village hall and wellregarded school. Their chosen house, which had been built in the 1950s, was a warren of small, confined spaces, which the couple knew they wanted to open up. ‘We loved the garden and location, and the house was perfectly liveable, but we hated the way it felt closed in,’ explains Sally. ‘The kitchen was a galley shape and you couldn’t even fit a table in it, so it just didn’t work for us as a family. We knew from the start that we wanted to completely renovate it.’ The couple chose to work with local architect Lesley Hally after admiring her work in a magazine. ‘We met with a few architects but Lesley was the person we connected with the best,’ says Sally. ‘Her designs are really beautiful and contemporary, which was the look we wanted, and she was willing to listen to our ideas.’ Lesley recommended a handful of builders, and the couple obtained detailed quotes from three of them before settling on Dell Developments.
BEFORE
There were two aspects to the project – adding a two-storey extension at the front of the property, and remodelling the ground floor of the existing house to create an open-plan living-dining-kitchen linked to the garden. ‘Our families both live in different parts of the country and we love to have them to stay,’ says Sally. ‘But the original house only had three bedrooms, which meant there was no room for them. We weren’t really using the double garage so it made sense to demolish it and replace it with an extension that would give us the extra rooms we needed.’ The previous owners had applied for planning permission for a similar project but this had lapsed. The couple reapplied and were given the go-ahead. The twostorey extension now houses a living room for adults on the ground floor, with bespoke picture windows framing views of the front garden. Above, a new guest bedroom and master suite both benefit from vaulted ceilings with rooflights to flood them with light. As an accountant, Sally was keen to get the best value for every aspect of the project. This meant sourcing many of the materials and finishes online, rather than relying on tradespeople to purchase them for her. ‘I spent every night poring over our spreadsheets’ she recalls. ‘But it was worth the effort because we managed to make significant savings in some areas.’ ➤ realhomes.co.uk FEBRUARY 2017
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