Before and After
Architect Olly Bray explains how a new glazed extension has helped reconnect a New Forest house with its rural surroundings
One architect explains how he designed a new glazed extension to help the owners of a property in the New Forest reconnect with their rural surroundings
Our clients approached us with the task of sensitively extending and refurbishing their house in the New Forest to create a lightfilled modern family home that engaged more with its wonderful setting. The property was formerly a charming house whose character had been consumed by a series of unsympathetic modern extensions over the years. It had been left unloved and had fallen into a rather tired state. Its poor condition was sadly highlighted by the beautiful paddock setting which surrounded the house.
To breathe new life into the old home, we set about developing a scheme that would re-instate the original character of the house while opening it out to the lovely views over the paddock. To the front of the house, we started by removing the imposing box-like extension with its unsympathetic flat roof. We then suggested extending the gabled front elevation, with a two-storey glazed section set between two gables. In doing so, we were also able to relocate the existing off-set entrance door to be central. The exposed timber frame under a timber gable contrasts beautifully against the fresh white render on this elevation. The extensive glazing also allows the centre of the footprint internally to benefit from natural light.
To the rear of the house we removed some of the masonry walls overlooking the paddock. We replaced them with a new glazed extension open on three sides of the house to offer panoramic views of the countryside.
To create architectural interest and provide a partially covered area for outdoor entertaining, the structure of the new extension extends out beyond the glazing in the form of a pergola structure. The pergola connects the internal spaces with the terrace decking and the fire pit, creating a protective external space from which to enjoy the forest.