At Peak Architects, we always enjoy discovering our clients’ stories and aspirations when taking on their home extension project and joining them on their exciting refurbishment journey to reach their desired result.
We were delighted to be appointed, alongside the companies below, to create our client’s ‘forever home’ following their purchase of a 1920s house in southwest Sheffield.
Background
The clients had undertaken several renovation projects over the years, the last being a rural project outside Sheffield with a country barn aesthetic. Their intention with Lynwood was for it to be their final move. They were attracted back to Sheffield because of the combination of accessible local amenities that a city can offer, being near friends, and living in a low maintenance home whilst still being within easy reach of the Peak District.
The property had been subject to a number of unsympathetic modifications with uPVC windows, a conservatory to the rear garden and dilapidated garage and workshops. The client was keen to reinstate the early century character features whilst creating a modern, yet sympathetic feel to the original house.
The Brief
The client specifications were to:
• reconfigure and extend the house to provide a large, open space to accommodate a modern kitchen, dining and living space whilst maximising on natural daylight;
• include plenty of practical storage solutions, separate utility and cloakroom;
• investigate how a generous master suite could be incorporated
• improve the flow around the existing home, newly integrated extension and loft conversion;
• convert an underutilised bedroom into a family bathroom (W&W)
Adding Value
On stripping out the existing house, concealed steel work was unveiled. On review with the structural engineer, we were able to significantly reduce and simplify the amount of steelwork required and related costs. Essentially, what began as a simple extension to provide a dining space and master bedroom the project resulted in adapting the flow of the house, reconfiguring the entire house to work together.
A must have for the client was the installation of a large rooflight. The cost of the glazing was a potential issue initially but, was reduced through a meticulous value engineering exercise with Rangemoor Windows to ensure the use of standardised components.
Creating Space
In order to achieve the client’s specification of creating a light and airy feel on the ground floor, Peak Architects and Wilding & Wolfe, collaboratively developed a spacious open plan living room and kitchen which was further opened up with the use of glazed panels that linked this space to the entrance hall and dining room with Crittal style doors and panels so that the whole of the ground floor, front to back, could be opened up and the light flood through.
A key element of the design brief was to incorporate ample storage throughout their home, cleverly designed into spaces to reduce the feel of clutter and to maximise the sense of space. A wonderful example of this is the sleek and minimal storage concealed by the panelled wall below, developed by Andy (A Deakin Developments) and Hannah (Wilding & Wolfe).
In the sitting room at the front of the house, separate to the open plan space, this was given more of a period twist with panelling, a more traditional but still simple and clean fire surround and deep blue walls and joinery throughout. This room provided a cosy counterpart to the light and airy open plan areas on the rest of the ground floor.
The staircase was also a focus. This was designed to bring the slim metal detail from the Crittal style doors through to the hallway and upstairs. Designed specifically for this project the bespoke spindles create a striking architectural feature in the centre of the house.
On the upper level, the client decided that the third bedroom, which had been previously used for storing coats, would better suit their needs as a large and spacious, family bathroom. The result was a stunning space for a free-standing bath and separate shower.
Hannah at Wilding & Wolfe, who was involved from very early on in the project, said
“By developing the spatial planning alongside the design of lighting, joinery, flooring, decorating, bathrooms and all soft and hard furnishings, this allowed for a seamless design relationship between architectural and interior detailing. The design scheme, and any changes that arose as it developed, could be dealt with and discussed as the project progressed without extra costs being incurred because interior design details were thought of later on in the process.”
Paul of Peak Architects commented:
“The success of this project was derived from our collaborative approach with the client, interior designer and contractors. The house has great flow and a wonderful feeling of space.
We love how this design takes full advantage of the natural daylight as it flows through the entire ground floor. The uplifting view as you enter the main open plan space also provides a seamless connection to the garden.”