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IDEAL HOME’S RESIDENT ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER CHARLIE LUXTON SHARES HIS DESIGN KNOW-HOW
Homes built in the Thirties, or interwar period, are surprisingly common, representing over 10% of the UK housing stock. They are more varied in style than Victorian or Edwardian homes but there are a number of really fantastic features that many of them share.
Thirties properties are usually larger than those from the preceding or post-war period, with correspondingly large gardens. Semi-detached was the popular style of the period, which adds the benefits of side access and increased potential for an extension. Their width and generous plots allow for large rear additions, which can be truly transformative.
When thinking about an extension on a period house of any kind, don’t be afraid of considering a contrasting style. The mix of old and new can be very successful and allow for more variation in the types and the feel you have inside the home.
The Thirties was the decade that motor car ownership became widespread and, as a result, houses of this era were the first to be constructed with this in mind. This usually meant they were built along wider roads with separate footpaths, garages and parking potential. Where streets of Victorian terraced houses groan under the automobile, the roadways from the inter-war years feel far less impacted.
One slight issue with this heritage is that most cars of the Thirties were incredibly narrow and as a result the original garages are often only wide enough for the very smallest of modern cars. Every cloud has a silver lining though, and while not great for cars, the garage space provides excellent storage and conversion potential.
The properties usually have large, fairly steep pitched roofs which allow for generous loft conversions. Again, where Victorian and Edwardian loft conversions can be tight for space, the Thirties semi can provide larger, functional rooms in their roof spaces. As with most loft conversions, the hardest thing to get right is the access. Plan for the staircase to any loft to be as generous as possible so that it is seen as a core part of the house rather than a glorified ladder! The additional space accessed by a proper staircase will add functional and financial value.
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