The clients had lived in this 4 bed detached house, in North London, for over 30 years and had always wanted to extend the kitchen. Whilst being fond of their old kitchen including a charming bay window, solid oak kitchen and existing windows; the space was dark, cramped and largely disconnected from the garden.

 

The only previous connection to the garden was this small bay window which poked out from the side of the kitchen. The new side return extension recreates this bay window but on a much grander scale. It reads as a lightweight structure that projects out from the side of the house. The external wall has been opened up to merge the new space with the existing house and patio. Creating a large, flexible open plan kitchen filled with natural light and fantastic views out to the garden and landscape beyond.

 

The junction between old and new is highlighted which gives the impression of still being inside the old kitchen whilst at the same time also being outside and connected to the garden. The large glass doors of the extension slide away against the house to create a complete wall open to the garden further bringing the outside in. Natural materials such as oak, slate and larch have been used throughout and the light weight structure is expressed as a slim glazed oak frame. The black aluminum wrapping around it provides a contrast to these natural textures resulting in a contemporary extension which is warm, calm and inviting.

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"The result is a fantastic area for cooking, a lovely light kitchen and has provided a great seating space to spend time throughout the day and evening. We were impressed with the attention to detail and our involvement at each stage of the decision making process.."