Our latest home renovation has transformed a dark Victorian house into a bright, calm space that maximises light and garden views.
Back in 2017, Clive & Alison approached us because their home was in need of a change. They very much loved their home (an attractive stone built semi in Sheffield) but their favourite part, an existing extension, simply wasn’t working for them. It had been built a number of years ago and didn’t connect to the kitchen and living room.
Before: the kitchen and dining room were dark and dated. The old, overheated conservatory had all of the daylight
The sun room also behaved the way conservatories typically do; too hot in summer and too cold in winter. Whilst the space did offer lots of light and views of the couple’s stunning garden (which became a key focal point during the project), it was plagued by leaks and wasn’t helping the thermal performance of the home.
From dark to light
We worked closely with Clive to understand how they would use the space on a daily basis and redesigned the rear portion of the house to work better together. It was important to design a functional space whilst also creating a space for relaxation.
When it came to rebuilding the sunroom we replaced the leaky conservatory roof with a proper roof to maximise the couple’s comfort. We opted for a large, feature skylight above the dining table to dramatically drop light into the space where it’s needed most.
Large sliding doors also help to blur the boundary between indoors and out to maximise the garden view.
The rebuilt sunroom is now a place to eat, relax, entertain – or simply gaze at the view
It’s transformed the way we use the space. Views and perspectives have been introduced and improved significantly. Not only are the three living areas now interwoven, but they now have a direct connection to the garden. The comfort of the space is wonderful.
The project was a real labour of love for Clive and his builder and there are plenty of personal touches. This is apparent the moment you enter, from the birch ply kitchen to the interesting objects and artwork on display.
The similar materials and textures complement each other to create a sense of flow.
Alan recently went back to see the finished project.
I really enjoyed going back to Sydney Road to see how proud Clive was of the space. He’s worked hard with his builder to transform it and it shows. I was impressed with the dramatic change; it was a noticeable lighter the moment I walked through the door.
