Transforming a tired semi-detached into a family home
Lewes, East Sussex
The starting point
Our client came to us with a new home purchase, a well located semi-detached house with potential in Lewes, East Sussex. However it wasn’t the space and layout that they were looking for to suit their family’s needs.
The kitchen was small, the entrance lacked presence, upstairs space was limited and the loft sat unused.
The house was not broken, it just was not working hard enough for modern family life.
The opportunity
We wanted to create space without compromising character of the house. We considered light, flow, additional bedrooms and bathrooms, as well as a new heart of the home in a large kitchen – diner extension. Design something that feels intentional, not pieced together.
What was proposed
A comprehensive extension strategy that worked together as one cohesive design:
- A new single-storey wrap around extension with zinc roof and render external finish
- A large open plan kitchen diner opening onto the garden
- Five skylights to the wrap around extension
- A new 1.2 metre deep front porch to redefine the entrance
- A 3 metre wide two storey side extension in brickwork and roof tiles to match the existing house
- An additional bathroom at first floor level
- A new utility room
- A loft conversion with new staircase
- A new bedroom and en suite within the loft
- Two new skylights to the rear main roof
- One Velux Cabrio window to create a light filled study area
This mix of changes gave the family the space and layout they were looking for in their busy family life.
The design approach
- The wrap around extension transforms the ground floor.
- The zinc roof adds a clean contemporary layer. The render finish softens the garden elevation. Five skylights pull daylight deep into the kitchen diner, making it the centre of family life.
- The two-storey side extension mirrors the proportions and materials of the original house. Matching brickwork and roof tiles ensure it feels integrated rather than attached.
- The new porch gives the house weight, curb appeal and presence from the street.
- Upstairs, the additional bathroom improves practicality.
- In the loft, a new staircase leads to a calm bedroom suite with en suite. Not leftover space, a considered retreat.
The result
- A standard semi reworked into a long term family home. More space to gather, more light throughout, better circulation, room to grow.
- A cohesive transformation that works as one.