This wow-factor selection of projects shows how a single-storey home can be used as a blank canvas to create a modern home oozing design panache
A unified approach
When Selencky Parsons took on the remodel of this bungalow in Derbyshire, the property hadn’t been touched in decades and had several ad-hoc extensions, which created a disconnected, cellular layout. “It also had an incoherent roof arrangement, with an uncomfortable composition of varying roof levels and types,” says Sam Selencky, a director at the practice. “A key design move was to unify these elements with a new roof, creating a calm and coherent base from which new additions could be made.”
The porch was repositioned to create a spacious entrance area and a new garden room was built. Also, a new dormer window has allowed the upper level to become an art studio. Rejigging the interior layout has paved the way for a series of generous open-plan spaces that minimise circulation space. “A new stair has been added to connect to a couple of the lower ground-floor bedrooms, which were created from an undercroft garage,” says Sam. For a similar project, expect to budget between £1,200 and £1,900 per m² for the remodelling and £3,000 per m² for the new-build extensions.
Framing the views
This former crofter’s cottage in a remote part of the Scottish Highlands has been given a new lease of life by Loader Monteith. Featuring thick stone walls and small windows, the property was originally disconnected from its stunning rural surroundings. Local planning rules meant that any interventions to the traditional home could be no greater than the size of the original footprint.
Loader Monteith reimagined the house as a property formed of two wings and built a black timber-clad extension with full-height glazed doors to frame the view. A dormer extension was also added to the original cottage, providing two new bedrooms, a bathroom and a mezzanine office. Finally, a new retreat wing sits just behind the main house, connected by a glazed link. This wing houses an entrance area, utility room, bedroom, office and bathroom.
“We worked hard to ensure the house was in harmony with its surroundings, both blending in with and enhancing them,” says Matt Loader, a director at the practice. “This project was about making the most of the views, so we positioned windows and doors to open the house to the mountains.”
Mirror image
Kast Architects crafted the design for the renovation and extension of this former bungalow, which sits in a breathtaking location overlooking Cornwall’s Restronguet Creek. Though the core structure of the building was still in good condition, the internal and external finishes were tired an
