EXPANSION IN EAST GRINSTEAD
EXPANSION IN EAST GRINSTEAD
An orangery, a breakfast room where the early morning sun will flood in, enhanced views of the garden, a new kitchen, a new study, and a whole new master suite with en-suite shower room and dressing area were the ingredients for an exciting house project in East Grinstead.
External alterations of the front elevation created an extension of the property to fully match the existing forward position. This allowed for internal alterations that enabled a new breakfast area at the front of the house, benefiting from the early morning sun. The existing flat roof was replaced with a pitched roof, height determined by existing first floor window sill positions, thereby requiring the apex of the pitch to be finished with a small area of flat root.
A kitchen cupboard next to the front door was extended outwards to also match the existing forward position. And rather than a cupboard, it is now a new ground floor WC accessed from the entrance hall.
There were discussions about further alterations to the front entrance area, which resulted in leaving an open arrangement so space wouldn’t be constrained by proximity to the existing garage.
The old conservatory was demolished, and a new orangery formed along the rear elevation, the same width as the kitchen. Despite possible additional costs in forming a new structure, Turner and Hoskins advised on the aesthetically pleasing and significant additional benefit if the elevation of the new orangery projected further into the garden. The additional width makes the space feel less rectangular and allows for better accommodation of existing furniture, a perfect blend of new and old. Access to the garden is via new doors within the long elevation of the orangery, and planned landscaping works will remove old decking to reveal a stream, with new planting to enhance the overall appearance.
Other ground floor alterations included repositioning the existing incoming electrical main and distribution board, and enlarging the existing utility room to allow the kitchen to be replaced.
Removal of two existing chimneys and the division of the lounge created a new lounge to the front of the property and a study to the rear overlooking the garden. Discussions were had about creation of a new terrace with steps leading to the garden.
The major first floor work was at the northern end of the house, with a change of layout of front and rear bedrooms to create a luxurious master suite with master bedroom, en-suite shower room and dressing area. Access from the landing to the new master suite was repositioned to maximise available space for the suite. Views of the garden are important to the owner, so there was discussion about the introduction of a Juliet balcony to provide these views, and a window to the side overlooking the orangery, subject to planning permission.
Final first floor alterations included minor work to the current bathroom, with additional cupboards and minor cosmetic work, and the bedrooms either side of the stairs had minor work to change existing cupboard arrangements and enlarge the airing cupboard due to removal of one of the chimneys.
The end result is a beautiful home which delivered on the right ingredients.
