Kitchen and Bathroom Extension

13 Grove Road, Hampton

Context

The existing house is situated just outside of the East Molesey conservation area. It is a Victorian three storey detached house, built of brick with roughcast render, it has timber sash windows and an unattractive mono-pitched extension at the rear that is cramped and used as both storage, W.C., utility room and kitchen. It’s neighbouring house at number 11 has a long extension that extends 5.5m back into the garden. The proposal is to demolish the existing kitchen, utility and W.C. extension and build a new one over the existing footprint and to extend the bathroom at the front on the first floor over the existing porch as the neighbours have done.

About

An extension to this property is now needed (which has been a family home for many years) because now that one of the parents is working from home and a grandparent will be joining them and growing older - the owners wish to continue living there with their young children. Having studied the ergonomics of maintaining a manageable and good quality of life in this home for the younger and older users as they age; the required access dimensions and storage requirements make it necessary to have a significantly enlarged kitchen, small study and a utility room with W.C., Consequently the length of the proposed extension is wider than the existing extension. But basically this proposal sits over the same footprint and extends 4.5m into the back garden; 1 metre less further back than next door’s extension at number 11 Grove Rd.. This will facilitate any future changes for the owners in the future. Also a bathroom extension is required to facilitate the inclusion of a walk-in shower in an enlarged first floor bathroom.

ACCESS

A proposed kitchen and dining area has been situated at the back of the house and is accessed via the music/living room. A utility room has been added to this rear extension that incorporates a back door, W.C. and storage. The proposal is to open up this kitchen area to the garden visually using sliding glass panels and so that a small study area can be created alongside the kitchen so that the parents can monitor their child’s home work.

COMPOSITION

The proposed extension integrates the old and the new by using primarily horizontal proportions for the extension that slides across the back of the house. The proposal integrates the proposed utility room and proposed kitchen space by having an overlapping glass façade at the rear so as to integrate the whole into a single composition (please see Perspective 1). The interlocking of elements is enhanced by a gap which is left at the side of the proposed extension for the study; and the interlock of utility area and kitchen is enhanced by having a continuous surface from inside to outside. Also the proposition is not full width so as to prevent the proposed extension being compositionally dominant nor blocking neighbours light. A glass box skylight is proposed to run along the length of the hipped roof that sits only above the kitchen area. The hipped roof and low glass box also enhances the horizontal character and reduces the massing of the whole arrangement.

The proposed extension also runs close to the boundary fence in order to limit access via a locked gateway. This ensures increased child friendly security and more controlled access for strangers. Presently the garden at the rear is quite open to all types of access.

The parapet reflects some of the traditional architecture of the area and is a crucial element in this horizontal architecture; its character enhanced with a stone coping that extends across the back of the elevation. Although this extension extends beyond the existing utility room and kitchen this proposal links the house and garden in a way that allows for more ordered spaces because the garage and driveway are removed and the extension acts as a backdrop to the garden. This allows the garden to be more open, whilst the extension allows easier linkage and continuity between the garden, kitchen and hallway.

The bathroom extension is designed to be built the same as the bathroom extension at 11 Grove Road next door (please see photo) and is an extension on the first floor that extends 1.1m out over the existing porch. The windows will be the same as the existing and will sit within what is essentially a vertically proportioned extension - to be in keeping with the overall vertical proportions of the existing Victorian house.

MATERIALS

This extension incorporates brickwork to match the existing walls of the original house. The mullions of these aluminium folding/sliding doors are designed to match the existing mullions of the sash windows above and will be a minimal 25mm -50mm thick. The roof shall be a hipped arrangement with slate tiles taken from the existing extension and will match existing. The doorway and window at the side and the window at the front shall both have reconstituted stone cement architrave surrounding frames. The base of the extension shall have matching London stock brickwork will have matching bonding and if needs be- will be stained to match the existing brickwork of the house. The hoppers and rain water pipes shall be of black pressed metal.

The bathroom extension is made up of a hipped roof of matching slates with gutter and RWP to match existing all on rendered brick walls supported by rendered brick piers situated within the existing porch. The existing decorative timber arch and handrail features shall be retained and reincorporated.

CONCLUSION

This is a proposal that will allow a family to maintain their lifestyle and working arrangements whilst also integrating front and back areas of the house and gardens. Its height has been limited to negate any loss of light to the neighbours. The arrangement is an harmonious addition to the rear of what is presently an unattractive piecemeal arrangement of an add-on kitchen with little architectural or compositional merit. In short the proposed extension will enhance the whole house especially the rear.