With the property market in a constant state of fluctuation, moving house can prove to be a costly and challenging task. So, what do you do if you've outgrown your current pad? These incredible home extensions and renovation projects highlight the benefits of improving, instead of moving. From a 130-year-old Victorian terrace house that was reinvented with a striking white extension, to a 700-square-foot micro apartment that was given a new lease of life, these amazing projects are sure to leave you inspired.
The owners of a dark, damp and draughty Victorian terraced house in the Waltham Forest area of London were keen to transform it into a light-filled, breathable home. They commissioned Mike Tuck Studio, requesting more space, better thermal performance and an interior decorated with beautiful natural materials. Rising to the challenge, the architects designed a ground-floor extension, clad in timber, terrazzo and cork – a natural insulator. Unsurprisingly, the striking project was shortlisted for the 2023 Don't Move, Improve awards.
By utilising natural materials, the architects enabled the previously damp and humid house to breathe and avoided having to install pricey mechanical ventilation and air purifying systems. Inside, they chose lime plaster walls for an extra layer of insulation and high-quality windows and rooflights that provide ventilation while improving airtightness. As for design, the new, open kitchen is bright, modern and stylish, with ultra-slim worktops, dark wood cabinets and chic pendant lighting.
Instead of opting for a traditional extension, the owners of a 19th century villa in Hampstead, London, decided to improve their home by adding a stylish studio and Russian-style Banya sauna to the bottom of their garden. For the task, they turned to the team at Cooke Fawcett Architects. Nestled on a sloping site filled with mature trees, the new structures were placed on mini-pile foundations to minimise the impact on the surrounding trees. The stilts also ensure the roots can still access water and have room to grow.
Both cabins are finished with sustainable Kebony timber that ages beautifully and allows them to subtly blend into their woodland setting. The garden room – the perfect place to work from home or host overnight guests – benefits from glazed sliding doors and a wrap-around rooflight, which draw in natural light and allow for lovely views across the garden. Inside, the cosy space boasts a hygge aesthetic, with natural timber walls, a wood-burning stove and plenty of different textures. The sauna and outdoor hot tub are perfect for unwinding after a long day of work.
This imposing, two-storey rear extension was designed by the team at R2 Studio Architects. The homeowners weren't just looking for more internal space, they wanted to totally transport their historic London terrace house, to reflect their passion for Die Brücke – a group of early 20th century German expressionist artists, known for their use of distorted forms and unusually bold, unnatural colours. To achieve this unique request, the architects chose to blend a restrained and functional exterior with an expressive colour palette inside.
The newly constructed extension allowed the ground floor living spaces to be opened up and better connected to the garden, while the first floor houses a wellness area with an amazing roof terrace, sauna and outdoor shower. Named Brückenhaus, which literally translate to "bridge house", the property is all about connecting the old with the new, the bold with the understated and the inside with the outside. To counter the interior's moody hues, plenty of glass was added, while built-in storage units break up the layout with allowing light to continue to flow.
Bright, bold and beautiful, this stunning rear extension by Unknown Works is a true modern masterpiece. The original property was a modest, mid-century terrace house that lacked personality, but thanks to a vivid colour palette and the use of innovative materials, the architects have completely transformed the residence – both visually, and in terms of thermal performance.
For the sustainable project, Unknown Works chose to use pre-fabricated cross-laminated timber (CLT) to construct the new addition. This low-impact building material has excellent thermal properties, is affordable and allowed for assembly on-site in just four days. The interior was then reconfigured, allowing for adaptable, open-plan spaces that can serve multiple purposes. It was finished with simple, natural timber that beautifully complements the bold yellow of the exterior.
Looking to extend their small, one-bedroom flat, the owners of this property in Southwark, London, turned to the team at District. Architects. The brief was to create the flexibility of a three-bedroom house within a relatively small, single-storey footprint. To create extra space, the architects opted to add a ground floor, wrap-around extension, which utilises the redundant side return space that many terrace houses in London possess.
The homeowner also requested that their new floorplan be flexible. This would enable them to remain in the property, even if their family grew. To achieve this, the interior spaces were designed to be separate, providing areas for work, rest, cooking and play. Each room also borrows from adjacent spaces where needed, thanks to the use of wide, doorless entrances and shared colour palettes. In fact, colour played a big role in the project, injecting playfulness into each room.
In order to add light and space to a previously enclosed ground floor apartment, without blowing the homeowners' modest budget, the award-winning architects at Studio Hallett Ike chose quality over quantity, reusing materials were they could. Instead of adding one, large extension, they instead opted for two small ones, both with a clean and minimalist finish. Underpins were reused to limit the need for new concrete and key internal finishes were retained and celebrated.
Thanks to a simple material and colour palette – think light timber, white-washed walls and expanses of glass – the interior is now warm and practical, while still being highly stylish. Its free-flowing layout allows for views of the garden from almost anywhere on the ground floor and better connects the interior with the outdoors. "We've gained so much in so many aspects from this project: much needed extra space, functionality and quality of the different rooms, and impeccable design details," the homeowners told the team at Don't Move, Improve.
As beautiful as it is unique, this garage conversion by architect Trewhela Williams was completed in early 2023. The two-storey property lies in the Camden neighbourhood of London, down a quiet cobbled mews within the Belsize Park Conservation Area. The owners just didn't utilise their garage, so they decided to incorporate it into their home. Inspired by the wood sculptures of artist, Donald Judd, the former garage door has been reimagined with glass and oak fins, which allow light to flow inside while protecting the owners' privacy.
The minimalist vibe continues inside, where you'll find modern, clean and calm design. The previously redundant garage has been transformed into an open-plan living area, with a simple galley kitchen that spans the full depth of the property, from street to garden. The space flows into a dining area and a snug. A huge pivoting glass door opens the space up to a small courtyard, inviting plenty of light inside. By converting their garage, the owners have also freed up space upstairs.
This charming Edwardian home in Hackney, London, has been transformed by Office S&M, to better reflect the tastes of its graphic designer owners. The project was inspired by the power of graphics and the clients' love of Art Deco forms, resulting in a one-of-a-kind property filled with distinctive shapes and bright colours that enhance every room.
Every space in Graphic House was created for wellbeing and the owners' desire to create healthier and happier spaces for their family. While the extension's glass doors have been finished with canary yellow frames, the interior blends colours and materials to dazzling effect. Mint green was used to highlight all the new elements of the home, while the existing walls were restored with exposed, pink plaster, bringing warmth and interest to every joyful room.
Aptly named, the Kitchen in the Woods is a wonderful, ecologically sympathetic extension that allows the homeowners to enjoy stunning views across the protected woodland behind their property. The family wanted to add a fourth bedroom, but couldn’t extend upward due to the home's location in a protected conservation area in south London.
To add the extra bedroom, the team at A Small Studio relocated the kitchen, where the family spends most of their time, from an enclosed room at the front overlooking the street, to the rear of the house. The studio then converted the old kitchen into an ensuite bedroom. To ensure the new space didn't impact the abundant wildlife in the garden, including birds and bats, the small extension was clad in timber and features a living green roof that allows it to blend into its leafy setting.
The team at Architecture for London extended and refurbished an Edwardian terrace house in the Muswell Hill neighbourhood of north London. The brief was to create a stylish, comfortable and low energy house, within a constrained budget. To do this, the architects decided to expose the original structure of the property, celebrating the modest beauty of materials like wood, glass and bricks. To improve airtightness, and the energy efficiency of the building, they chose triple-glazing.
As well as a lovely rear extension, the architects also undertook a loft conversion. In doing so, they were able to introduce more glass and a cleaner colour and material palette, transforming the previously dark and damp house into a calming, family environment. "There are so many straightforward things people can do to make their houses greener," architect Ben Ridley told Don't Move, Improve. "We retained our original front door and made it more airtight with simple £10 DIY brush seals all around and a £30 magnetic letterbox seal."
Sivill House is a Grade II listed council housing block in Shoreditch, London. It was designed by Berthold Lubetkin and opened in 1966. This is just one of the 76 flats inside the building, and it measures just under 700 square feet. So, Studio naama had quite a challenge on their hands, when the owners approached them to redesign their micro apartment to include a number of unique additions.
As part of the refurbishment, the homeowners requested bicycle storage, a fitness training area, a study, a versatile second bedroom and a casual eating space. To achieve all this in such a tight space, the architect chose to expose the apartment's original structural framework, stripping back areas to reveal concrete beams. These were complemented by flexible, timber furniture that softly breaks up the interior and provides much-needed storage. Affordable materials, such as lower grade plywood and polycarbonate sheeting were also chosen, to keep costs to a minimum.
Having lived in this compact, one-bedroom ground-floor flat for several years, the owners approached Atelier Baulier to increase the size of their small kitchen and create a living space that would directly open up to the garden. The brief called for the entire refurbishment of the existing apartment, in order to optimise storage and create a better interior flow.
By adding a 215-square-foot, single-storey extension that spans the full width of the property's rear, the architects were able to rework the interior spaces to better suit the homeowners' needs. They removed an existing shed and the floor level was lowered by just shy of 12 inches, allowing them to add a sunken patio area. To cut costs, second-hand Crittal doors were sourced from eBay. The result is a bright and generous space that's perfect for both entertaining and everyday life.
Reluctant and unable to afford to move, architect Nic Howett and his partner instead decided to remodel their small, awkward flat behind a shop on Camberwell Road in Southwark, London. To make the place more comfortable, they decided to move the living spaces away from the busy main road to the garden behind, self-building a new bedroom and a secluded garden studio where they can both work from home. These new additions now sit comfortably and almost invisibly amongst the neighbouring buildings.
Because of the flat’s challenging location, the couple decided to use easily manageable and lightweight timber to build the extension and studio, which both sit on minimal concrete foundations. The extension features a living sedum roof and highly efficient glazing similar to the shopfronts beyond. These two additions have allowed Nic and his partner to create a long-term family home that suits their needs now, and in the future.
For this remarkable project, the team at nimtim architects reimagined a two-storey, Victorian garden flat in the Minet Estate Conservation Area of Stockwell, London. To provide the homeowners with the extra space they were craving, a rear extension was added and the existing interior was re-configured. Nimtim also redesigned the sheltered, sunken garden to create an outdoor living space that's perfectly connected with the interior.
Keen to celebrate materials and light, the architects chose to reuse existing soot-stained London bricks and incorporate plenty of unique glass elements. Inside, bricks, wood and glass all play a key role in the home's simple, but stylish design. "Our favourite bit of the completed project is the framed views of the garden and trees beyond... We feel so much more connected to the seasonal changes through the transformative quality of light inside," the homeowners told Don't Move, Improve.
Keen to provide their clients with a light, bright and beautiful home, the team at Pashenko Works set about extending and renovating a 130-year-old Victorian terrace house. The project was designed to be a prototype for dense, urban living, proving that homes can be maximised while sticking to local planning constraints. The house lies in the crowded London borough of Lambeth and its redesign was inspired by Belgian brutalist architecture.
To achieve this look, the architects opted to expose the building's original structural materials, including its blockwork, steel beams and floors. As well as resulting in a striking and highly unique interior, this also cut costs. The new addition was then clad in off-white, corrugated steel sheets to match the aluminium colour of the home's window frames. The side and rear extension have more than doubled the home's original footprint, creating enough space for several family generations to live harmoniously.
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