Whether you opt for a spacious new addition, or absorb the small but mighty side return, achieve the kitchen of your dreams by extending your space
While period homes are blessed with heaps of character and beautiful original features, they are often cursed with cramped galley kitchens to the rear. This is especially the case for Victorian properties, which comprise a significant amount of the UK housing stock. Thankfully, even a modest extension can make a world of difference, opening up the space and creating a generous heart of the home.
The first step in designing a kitchen extension is to ensure you are clear on the rules around planning permission. A single-storey extension that stretches less than three metres beyond the rear wall of the original house – or four metres if it is a detached house – and is less than four metres in height, will be classed as ‘permitted development’. However, any addition that is larger than this will need planning permission. Similarly, a side extension must be less than four metres tall, single storey, and extend no more than half the width of the original house, for it to be classed as permitted development. Listed properties or those in conservation areas will need further consent. For more specific guidance, talk to your local council and visit planningportal.co.uk.
LITTLE CHANGES
ABOVE Even a modest extension can have a significant impact on a narrow galley kitchen. In this space by Border Oak, a long and narrow addition opens up the room, introducing more light through a combination of glazed walls and roof lights, and transforms the cramped spot into a welcoming kitchendiner. A similar oak frame kit from Border Oak would cost in the region of £20,000.
SPACE TO RELAX
RIGHT One of the joys of extending a kitchen is the ability to embrace open-plan living. Creating the room to add other living areas for dining and relaxing, elevates the kitchen from a purely functional space for cooking, into the heart of the home. If you are planning on adding sofas or armchairs, look for designs with easy-to-clean upholstery that will not harbour cooking smells.
OPENING OUT
ABOVE When planning a kitchen extension, think beyond the four walls. By replacing one or two of your walls with bi-fold doors, your extension will not only increase the space inside your home but will also let your kitchen extend onto the patio and into the garden, creating a highly desirable flow between the two. Plus, adding such a large glazed area will make the space feel bigger, even when the doors are closed, and act as an ever changing feature wall as the seasons change.
GLAZED BEAUTY
RIGHT A successful extension will feel light and spacious, so as well as ad
