Selborne Family Home

The brief

The family bought this house for its potential, with the extension already in mind. As it stood, an old conservatory added little and the garage was too tight to take a car. Upstairs, the family bathroom sat on the landing, which left the landing feeling cramped, and with rooms on every side no natural light reached it. The space was dark and did the house no justice. They wanted more room, better light, and a home that worked for the way they live.

The design

The answer lay at the back of the house. Out came the old conservatory, and in its place a new extension runs the width of the property, with large roof lanterns drawing daylight deep inside. What had been a series of separate rooms is now one bright, airy kitchen, living and dining room, with a utility area designed off it so the working side of family life stays out of sight.

Above it we built a second floor extension to house the new family bathroom. That is what finally freed the landing, where a large window now brings natural light flooding into the middle of the house. The space we gained was perfect for fitted shelving, a small reading chair and ample floor space for the children to play.

Elsewhere, rooms were given work to do. The garage, too tight to take a car, became a playroom and snug. The lounge stayed as it was, and the old dining area turned into a games area for the family. Internal glass doors keep the flow from one space to the next while letting any of it be closed off when someone wants quiet.

Every detail, considered

The detail is where the plan proves itself. A utility area off the kitchen keeps the laundry, and the noise of it, out of the new living space. Fitted shelving and a small reading chair give the landing a purpose it never had. Internal glass doors let the family open the house right up or shut one room away, and the lighting was planned for both, working with the roof lanterns through the day and taking over in the evening.

The result

A joyful family home with an individual spirit, combining colour, pattern, artwork and collected pieces to create relaxed spaces that feel personal, practical and full of character.

The back of the house is now the heart of the home, light and open under the roof lanterns. It is where the whole family hangs out together, and it comes into its own when they entertain. The children have a reading area on the landing and a playroom where the garage used to be, the family has a games area of its own, and the glass doors close any of it off when they choose.

Services: Full Interior Design, including Lighting Design, from the brief through to installation.