Meghan and James Ellis like deverything about their new home,except the dark ground-floor roomsat the back of the house and the small outrigger kitchen.‘We’d been living in a bright and modern property, andwere used to lots of light,’ says Meghan.Needing a house with more space, they bought thesix-bedroom Victorian semi with a view to extending it.The couple have four children – Tristan, nine, Elliot, six,Cordelia, four, and six-month-old Astrid. Meghan, 37,who worked in marketing, and homeschools the threeeldest children, wanted somewhere to serve as a classroom.James, 42, a software developer, also needed a home office.
The couple collaborated with architect Neil Dusheikoto create an extension and make changes that wouldprovide them with the spaces they wanted. ‘The realchallenge was how to indulge our love of minimalist designwithout losing the character of the house,’ says Meghan.During the planning stage, Neil showed the couple aseries of computer-generated models of the proposed extension along with studies calculating where the sunwould fall throughout the day and at various timesof the year. The results demonstrated that having twoseparate strips of overhead glazing would bring themost light into the north-east-facing extension.A line of non-structural glazing at the ceiling’s highestpoint draws shafts of light into different parts of theextension as the sun tracks overhead. ‘The top skylightsallow diffused light to bounce back into the kitchen as thesun moves behind the building,’ explains Neil. ‘There’sanother row of overhead glazing where the extension joinsthe house.
This brings in even more light and providesa view of the upper part of the property’s rear wall.’After lots of discussion with the couple, Neildrew up a design for a steel-framed extension thatwraps around the back and side of the family’s home.It includes a new kitchen and dining room with studypods for the children along one wall. Honey-colouredhandmade bricks on the outside pick up on the originalyellow stock brickwork.The work was extensive, and the family were able toremain in their previous home while the build continued. The team renovated the entire house, making it moreenergy-efficient by lining the walls with insulated plasterboard and fitting rigid foam insulation beneaththe floorboards and in the roof. They upgraded the original sash windows by removing the single panesand replacing them with bespoke double-glazed panels.Underfloor heating was installed in every room and iszoned so that the temperature of different areas can becontrolled separately.
A mechanical extract ventilation(MEV) system removes damp, stale air from thebathrooms and kitchen.One of the four reception rooms was turned intothe couple’s home office. While on the opposite sideof the hallway is a cosy living room, which leads into awindowless library. Upstairs on the first floor a smallback bedroom was turned into the new family bathroom,and the top floor gained a wide dormer that stretchesalmost the entire width of the house.The final change took place at the bottom of thegarden, where a new outbuilding includes a sauna andgym. ‘It’s clad in charred timber to act as a light-andshade contrast to the house’s pale brick,’ explains Neil.Open the front door of the house and an element ofsurprise awaits. ‘There’s a brick wall at the end of thehallway with light coming in from above – it createsa curiosity to find out what’s around the corner,’ saysMeghan. ‘And then, walking on, the bright extensioncomes into sight with its views of the garden.’‘We watch shafts of daylight moving across the wallsduring the morning,’ she adds. ‘By lunchtime, the wholespace is bright and in the evening, concealed strip lightscreate the illusion it’s daytime. It’s all very clever
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