110Before and After

An unusual two-storey extension was the only way to extend this barn conversion on a tricky sloping plot, explains architect John Everitt

A rural home on a tricky sloping site in the Cotswolds is cleverly extended to accommodate a growing family

The owners of this three bedroom barn conversion in Winchcombe, near Cheltenham, needed more space for their growing family, but with the house sited towards the back of a sloping plot, there was little space at the rear of the property for an extension. The site benefited from wonderful views over the countryside, but small timber windows were doing little to capture the vistas on offer.

Our solution was to build to the front of the property and to dig down to create a contemporary two-storey stone extension. This approach resulted in a new lower ground floor entrance level with an additional storey above, which links to the existing ground floor of the

property. The hillside was excavated to create the new lower ground floor, and a retaining wall was built to stabilise and underpin the original house. To the sides of the property, we added gabions full of Cotswold stone to further stabilise the neighbouring plots.

The lower ground floor of the new extension houses a fifth bedroom – which doubles up as a study, depending on the family’s needs – as well as a shower room, utility and entrance hall with built-in storage. We reconfigured the home and replaced the existing kitchen with a new master bedroom suite. The first floor of the extension – which sits at the same level as the ground floor of the existing house – has created space for an open plan kitchen diner,

wrapped in glass, to give panoramic views across the Cotswolds. To the front of the kitchen is an external terrace, which wraps around the house to catch the evening sun and provide the family with outdoor entertainment space.

The barn conversion has an unusual mansard roof. So we connected the extension to the existing building via a glass hallway, which fits neatly under the eaves of the original roof. For a budget of £200,000, the property now has a classic yet contemporary feel, combining modern glazing with locally sourced Cotswold stone to the exterior. Internally, the project has provided the family with the space they required without having to move from their beautiful site.

A bold two-storey extension, built from Cotswold stone, has created space for two extra bedrooms, an open plan living area and an outside terrace. The glass balcony was supplied by CN Glass, with the glazed link between the old and new spaces created by Loxwood.

Photography c/o Coombes Everitt (ce-architects.co.uk)