Location: Brighton, East Sussex
Work carried out: An uncontentious application for Planning Permission.
Project description:
This detached house had a number of issues with its Ground Floor arrangement in particular. The Hall though generous had nowhere to hang coats or kick-off boots, the rear Reception Room which had a poor outlook had become a Den and homework room, the Kitchen was only accessible by passing through the Dining Room and the Kitchen was separated from the garden by a Conservatory which was under-used as it was usually too hot or too cold. A boiler was located externally in a small enclosure.
The solution involved taking the rear of the Reception Room for a Boot Room and Utility. The Dining Room became a Den and TV Room. The Conservatory was removed and all the rest of the space became part of the unified Kitchen Garden / family room which also included a rear extension with a lantern light and concertina doors which make this truly a year round space well connected to the garden.
There were other smaller changes in other parts of the building which were part of the re-balancing of the house
Contractor: Real Build Ltd, Brighton
One year on from the completion of our extension, we are still in love with it, and have yet to think of anything we would do differently. The kitchen has become the hub around which the family gathers, as well as creating an unbeatable space for entertaining – whether an intimate dinner party or a gathering of the children’s school friends. Having created a small den within the scheme, there’s also a place for watching movies or playing video games. The creation of a cloakroom and utility room has transformed our hallway. No longer a dumping ground for shoes and coats, it has regained its original purpose as a welcoming space and a bold statement of Edwardian interior design. David Kemp from DK Architects had listened to what we wanted to achieve in the enlargement and created a design that delivered more than we had dared imagine. Importantly, he re-designed the rear external ground floor aspect to successfully blend the contemporary extension with the Edwardian DNA of the house. As happy as we are with David’s designs, we were also impressed with his professional and systematic approach. The attention to detail in the schedule of works (he encouraged us to think of everything, including futureproofing for cable TV, Ethernet and wired speakers, as well as flooring choice, and patio stones) ensured that the builders we asked to quote for the job were able to provide a highly accurate estimate of the work. It also formed the basis for a program of works that we could use in discussion with the builder once the project got underway. The high level of detail contained within the design and schedule gave us the confidence to project-manage the job ourselves. However, we also knew that either David or Clive were at the end of the phone and more than willing to offer advice, as they did on more than a couple of occasions.