Home Renovation

Couple add a contemporary extension to a conventional stone cottage

October 13, 2024 Cindy Marshall 0 Comments

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Relocating from a two-bedroom Victorian home on the outskirts of London to a Welsh village on the banks of the river Dee, gave Bethan, her late husband Iain and their daughter, Seren, the prospect to embrace rural life. “We selected a location we cherished after which discovered work close by,” says Bethan.

Following a weekend break spent viewing properties, the couple purchased a conventional rendered stone cottage courting again to the 1850s, in just below three acres of backyard and woodland, and had been excited by the prospect of rising their very own fruit and greens on the land whereas having fun with the peace that such an idyllic setting supplied. “The cottage was excellent, notably as Iain loved mountain biking,” provides Bethan.

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exterior of a traditional stone cottage — (Picture credit score: Jeremy Phillips)

The entrance of the unique stone cottage exudes loads of allure

“The L-shaped cottage wanted work, however we lived there for a few years first to get a really feel for the place. Initially, we’d deliberate so as to add yet another bed room in the same type to the present constructing, however then our designer got here up with a superb modern idea for a double-storey extension that would supply us with wonderful views, which fully blew us away and adjusted all the pieces.”

Craig Marston of Ke-design navigated steep and winding roads to go to the positioning, the place the cottage and backyard to the west stand on a stage shelf minimize into the hillside. Panoramic nation views to the north, over the valley, weren’t seen from the cottage, and the awkward format meant the kitchen was tucked away to the rear in a humid and chilly single-storey extension, the place the window confronted immediately onto a retaining wall, with no utility room or storage.

“As a result of nature of the plot, with the retaining wall and hillside behind, there have been restricted choices for the right way to construct an extension on this sloping website ,” Craig explains. “Splaying the brand new extension at an angle solved this downside, giving the household an ethereal kitchen diner design, with the primary bed room, en suite and dressing room above all dealing with west and overlooking the valley.”

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White stone cottage in Welsh countryside with modern extension and gravel and stepped landscaping — A two-storey extension has remodeled the cottage (Picture credit score: Jeremy Phillips)

Small home windows and low ceilings within the authentic cottage could be balanced by an oblong, extremely glazed extension concept with greater ceilings – positioned to benefit from the western night solar. In addition to sustaining the dimensions of the present constructing, the brand new construction was to be constructed from matching supplies, with a pitched slate roof and white home rendering.

“As a part of the renovation and extension, Craig advised transferring the steep stairs within the cottage to create a function, with the brand new staircase design turning into the hyperlink to the brand new extension. There would even be a touchdown to benefit from the view,” says Bethan. “It hadn’t even occurred to us earlier than! Ducking beneath the winding previous staircase to achieve our lounge was a tough manoeuvre, and we stored banging our heads on the low newel put up, so the concept actually appealed to us.”

Nevertheless, on submission to the planning division, the planning permission utility was refused. “Following that, by some means I managed to persuade the planning officer to return out on website and focus on what might be supported,” recollects designer Craig. “He instantly banged his head on the low stairs, which helped persuade him to again the proposal and to remark that it might be much more modern.”

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