How to design a kitchen extension | Westbury Garden Rooms

We work with many clients on projects that include an extension to their home and whatever the scale of the building works, as with all things in life, preparation is key. For many clients the decision to embark upon building work is due to their desire to stay in their existing home rather than move house.

We thought it would be helpful to outline what we consider to be the inside guide to designing a kitchen extension and have therefore sought expert advice from our friends at Westbury Garden Rooms to share here…

I )  I D E N T I F Y  T H E  B R I E F

The first step is to really think about the function of the new space. Westbury will always strive to incorporate and repurpose existing rooms in the home to harmonise with the new extension. Indeed, the focus of their initial consultations with clients typically commences with a clear understanding of the arrangement of adjacent rooms within the main building, and how they are used by the home owner.

It’s not uncommon for a room’s purpose to change in a home, as families mature, and children fly the nest. Or if they are working with new home owners, Westbury typically find that they envisage new potential in a home’s layout where previous occupants settled for the status quo.

Whatever the requirements are, a good designer knows the importance of seeing beyond the design for external elevations of their buildings and should always include floor plans reaching into the adjacent rooms, illustrating how they can be changed and repurposed to enhance the new extension – just as Westbury do.

II )  D E S I G N  C O N S I D E R A T I O N S 

Always consider the heritage and design aesthetic of the existing building when choosing the style of an extension. Our clients will typically commission Westbury for their projects because they know that the company will ensure a bespoke design solution that suits their home perfectly.

It’s vital that the finish lasts for years to come, and this is only achieved by using the best materials and products and paying attention to every last detail, from the joinery to the long-lasting, hardwearing paint (which has a lifespan of roughly 10 – 12 years) and superior ironmongery.

We love how Westbury ensure that space, light, proportion and colour are carefully balanced to create a room that feels truly special and contributes to the family home. Westbury’s portfolio demonstrates not only their capability for designing beautiful orangeries and garden rooms, but also superb ability as spatial designers to resolve any challenges that can crop up.

III )  P L A Y  B Y  T H E  R U L E S 

Westbury have now been building architecturally-led garden room and orangery extensions for over 30 years, earning a reputation for crafting some of the most exquisite and superior structures which they build with balance and quality in mind.

With all their years of experience, Westbury are well placed to ensure that all their building extensions comply with Building Regulations which are the minimum standards for design, construction and alterations to virtually every building in the UK. The regulations are developed by the UK government and approved by Parliament. The Building Regulations 2010 cover the construction and extension of buildings and these regulations are supported by Approved Documents. Approved Documents set out detailed practical guidance on compliance with the regulations.

Building regulations approval is different from planning permission and you might need both for your project which is all part of the paperwork (as well as SAP – heat loss, and structural engineer’s calculations) that Westbury complete on your behalf, keeping you informed as your project progresses. They also have years of experience dealing with listed building applications and use an independent planning consultant, where necessary, to ensure a smooth ride navigating the planning process.

We also love that Westbury keep sustainability at the forefront of everything they do – just as we do at Humphrey Munson. So for the timber Westbury will specify redwood and Accoya as much as possible when constructing the garden rooms instead of opting for high waste-producing tropical hardwood. By choosing these as their primary timber, they decrease waste by approximately 35%.

Here are some examples of projects we have worked on together…

O A K  L O D G E  P R O J E C T  –  N O R F O L K 

A kitchen extension can transform a cramped layout into an inviting modern space for living, dining and entertaining. This incredible extension to the rear of this Edwardian home in Norfolk was designed to ensure that this kitchen and dining room would have a perfect flow between the different spaces in the room.

Westbury established clear lines between the immaculately crafted Humphrey Munson kitchen and dining area, while maintaining the open feel of the bright and airy space.

The clean lines of the parapet and the bold Westbury exterior perfectly complement the period style of the Oak Lodge project, whilst bathing the open plan kitchen and dining space inside in glorious natural light throughout the seasons.

C L A S S I C  E N G L I S H  K I T C H E N   –  S E V E N O A K S,  K E N T 

A large kitchen extension can create distinct and separate zones for cooking, dining and relaxing. By including a dining area and adding comfortable seating, the orangery in this classic contemporary family home in Sevenoaks, Kent has become the heart of the home.

Natural light streams into this kitchen orangery through a glazed roof lantern fitted on the far side of the room, closest to the garden, along with tall casement windows. The minimal lines and balanced symmetry of Westbury’s timber roof lanterns have an impressive impact on a room – helping to bring a calming and tranquil feel to the interior.

A S H U R S T  H O U S E  P R O J E C T  –  E S S E X 

As well as creating space, the key concept for all orangeries is to bring the outside in so Westbury designed and manufactured this incredible orangery extension to become the new open plan kitchen, dining area, walk in pantry and scullery extension at the Ashurst House project in Essex. This extension allows for plenty of sunlight, fresh air and seasonal beauty to stream in and become a part of the inside space.

By using quality craftsmanship and clever architectural detail, Westbury ensured that all the elements were considered in conjunction with one another, and in particular kept in mind the dynamics of the open plan kitchen that we designed and installed. The end result is a beautifully designed space that the whole family really enjoys using – it looks incredible but it also works perfectly.

To contact Westbury Garden Rooms regarding their orangeries, please call 01245 326500 or email info@westburygardenrooms.com.