Extension to a family home in Canterbury

Expanding, Redesigning, and Refurbishing a Family House

East of Canterbury city centre is a quiet and scenic residential area where our clients had a vision to transform their house into a forever family home. To make their vision come to life, the property needed updating and extending to provide more space and open-plan living.

James Clague Architects designed a single and two-storey extension to form three new rooms on the ground floor and additional en-suite bathrooms on the first floor. The result is a cosy, bright family home with open plan living connected to the garden, a utility room, and a total of four bathrooms.

Design Brief for the Canterbury remodel

Our clients felt their home could not meet their needs as a family. They decided adding an extension to their property would improve their day-to-day life, and create new space to enjoy as a family.

They also wanted to create a new bathroom and utility room on the ground floor, as well as two additional en-suites on the first floor.

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Choosing James Clague Architects to Design an Extension

After reviewing our extensive portfolio, the owners reached out to us for an initial consultation to discuss extending their home in Canterbury. As local specialist architects our client was impressed with our invaluable knowledge of the Canterbury area, relevant planning policy's and excellent success rate with gaining planning approval for extension projects.

Gaining Planning Permission for a Single and Two-Storey Extension in Canterbury

It was imperative that the scheme we proposed would improve the clients’ day-to-day lives and continue to meet the needs of their family in the future. For this reason, we worked closely with them to develop ideas through multiple iterations.

This, coupled with strong communication with our team and the local Council, led to a smooth planning application process with a positive outcome.

The Extension Design

To bring this project to life, it was important to fully utilise the existing space, in addition to extending the building where necessary. Therefore, we designed a single and two-storey extension.

The single-storey element provides a large open-plan living and dining area next to the existing kitchen. Two sets of double doors open to a new raised outdoor patio, which is supported by a beam and block floor.

The considered architectural design of the single storey aspect of the extension allows natural light to flood into the open-plan space. The modern vaulted ceiling with three large openable rooflights breathes life into the space and provides a visual connection to the garden.

Alongside the dining area, we formed a utility room, a WC, and a storage area. On the ground floor, the extension creates a seamless and efficient transition between the old and new, whilst maximising the connection with the garden.

At first floor level, the two-storey element of the extension allowed us to enlarge the master bedroom, providing space for a new en-suite. Additionally, we specified refurbishing the existing en-suite serving the second bedroom and form a third en-suite for the third bedroom.

Finally, the proposal included refurbishment of most existing spaces, including re-wiring, new heating and hot water system, plastering, decoration, and bespoke joinery. To complement the architectural design and tender process, we provided an interior design package.

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The Interior Design Services

Our client wanted their family home to have a light and spacious feel. Supplying an interior design plan allowed us to make this vision come to life, because the internal finish has a great impact on the ambience and atmosphere of a build.

At ground floor level, we assisted with the engineered wood flooring to run throughout the open plan dining / living area, and the wall colour throughout. The light colours, coupled with the ample natural light provided by the rooflights, make the space exceptionally bright, yet homely. 

We also provided a full design package for the utility room and WC on the ground floor. This included the selection of floor tiles, wall tiles, paint, design and layout of the units, selection of sanitaryware, fittings and more. These rooms are practical and contemporary at the same time.

At first floor, our interior design package included floor and wall coverings for the bedrooms, landing, and staircase, as well as a bespoke runner. We chose these elements to be contemporary, yet timeless. We also designed the lighting for these areas and provided a selection of fittings to create ambiance and comfort. 

Additionally, we provided full interior design services and specifications for all three en-suites. Each bathroom features bespoke sanitaryware, fittings, tiling, and lighting fixtures. This adds an element of individuality to the interior design.

Finally, we supplied a full electrical design and layout with suggestions for light fittings for the extension and all areas of the property that needed refurbishing.

The Extension and Refurbishment Construction Process

Following planning permission being granted, we obtained building regulation approval. We then created a full specification and tender package to send to our list of selected contractors whereby our client chose Brighter Homes (Folkestone) Ltd. The chosen contractor was excellent throughout, and the right fit for our clients and the project.

James Clague Architects were Contract Administrator for the project, so we visited the site regularly to ensure the design was executed to a high standard, and in accordance with our specification. Thanks to Brighter Homes (Folkestone) and our sister company BSF Consulting Engineers’ open communication, we were able to coordinate the design and quickly resolve any issues encountered onsite.

The Client’s Feedback 

Our clients are delighted with the outcome of the project. It is wonderful to see them enjoy their new home extension, patio, and refurbished rooms.

The family were particularly impressed with the quality of the build and the attention to detail throughout the entire process. They also appreciated the time we took to hold regular design meetings and produce multiple design iterations at an early stage to ensure all their requirements were met.