A new single storey extension to a compact 1930’s semi-detached home near the Phoenix Park in Dublin 7 was designed for seamless movement between the old and new. Externally, the stepped roofline design of the new extension - emphasised by a ‘pebble grey’ aluminium capping facing the raised back garden - creates an intimate scale to complement the home.
Extension in Dublin 7
The homeowners undertook some refurbishment work prior to our involvement. This work included removing the wall between the 2 rooms across the back of the house - to create an open-plan kitchen/dining/living area - and converting the existing rear lean-to into a utility room.
We were approached to help the homeowners extend their home. They were keen to retain as much of the character and as many of the original features as possible and to extend in a sympathetic manner. They also wanted to replace the gas boiler with an air-to-water heat pump.
Extending to the rear, a larger open-plan arrangement at the back of the house now provides 3 dedicated areas for kitchen, dining and living with a much-improved connection to the sun trapped west facing garden. The existing patio area to the side is retained and is now directly connected to the kitchen/dining area as well as the living area.
Along the side of the existing house, a new home office, shower room and utility room are placed behind the smaller garage. The utility room is accessed directly from the kitchen and the home office has direct access to the back garden.
While the new extension increases the size of the ground floor by more than 50% - a significant addition - the stepped roofline design of the extension creates an intimate scale to complement the home. The stepped roofline design is reflected internally with a lower ceiling level around the perimeter of the extension.
A refined palette of internal colours and materials across the house and extension, coupled with a single unifying colour for new fitted furniture pieces, reinforces the seamless flow between the 2. Engineered timber flooring or terrazzo tiles are used underfoot.
The original coving and fireplace are retained in the dedicated living area, now lined with new fitted units. The new open shelving is finished in a stained oak veneer to reference the stained timber finish of the original ground floor fireplaces.
Externally, the extension is painted white to match the house. A wet dash finish to the new walls provides a subtle difference from the rough render finish of the house. New ‘pebble grey’ coloured alu-clad windows and sliding doors come to the ground for light and airy rooms across the back of the house. A matching aluminium capping across the back of the extension adds further colour and draws the eye to its lower perimeter roofline.
Home energy upgrades were undertaken on the existing house as part of the new heat pump installation. A new insulated ground floor with underfloor heating was installed throughout and the attic was insulated. 3 of the 4 remaining chimney flues were closed up to improved the airtightness of the house. The Building Energy Rating (BER) of the extended home has improved from G to B1.
Planning permission is in place for a rear first floor extension to allow for an additional bedroom in the future.
Photography by Richard Hatch ©