The Brief

Our clients in Sunbury wanted to modernise their home while retaining the original character and features that made the property special.

The existing layout no longer suited the way the family lived. They wanted to create more generous living spaces for family life and entertaining, while also introducing dedicated areas for working from home and everyday practical needs.

Their wish list included:

• A large open-plan kitchen and dining space
• A flexible office and guest room
• A new master bedroom suite with ensuite
• A more practical utility space
• Improved views and connections to the garden
• Better use of the existing floor area
• A design that retained the home’s original character

The challenge was to achieve all of this without unnecessarily increasing the size or cost of the project.

The Challenge

The existing house had several areas that were no longer working particularly well for the family.

A sunroom at the rear provided limited views and connection to the garden, while the existing garage and a large storeroom were both underused.

Rather than simply adding a large extension, we looked at how the existing spaces could be reconfigured and repurposed to provide more value.

The clients also wanted to retain original features, including the existing windows and internal doors, so the new design needed to feel like a natural evolution of the property rather than a completely new house.

Our Approach

Our approach focused on making better use of the space the clients already had, alongside carefully considered extensions.

Opening Up the Ground Floor

Instead of extending across the entire rear of the property, we opened up the existing sunroom into the lounge.

This created a much brighter and more spacious living area while significantly improving the views towards the garden.

The existing garage was then converted into a flexible office and guest room, providing a dedicated space for working from home that could also accommodate visitors when required.

A compact downstairs shower room and WC was incorporated into the new layout, adding further functionality without requiring a large additional extension.

These changes also allowed the hallway to open up and flow more naturally towards the new kitchen and dining space.

A New Open-Plan Kitchen & Dining Space

At the heart of the redesigned ground floor is a generous open-plan kitchen-diner, creating a much more sociable space for family life and entertaining.

The new layout connects the kitchen, dining and living areas more effectively, allowing the family to use the ground floor as one connected space while still retaining distinct areas for different activities.

This was achieved by carefully considering the existing structure and circulation rather than simply adding more floor area.

Transforming the Underused Spaces

The large existing storeroom was another opportunity within the property.

Rather than allowing valuable floor space to remain underused, we transformed it into a generous and practical utility room.

This provides dedicated space for laundry, storage and everyday household tasks, keeping these functions separate from the main kitchen and living areas.

The result is a home where the practical elements of family life have their own dedicated spaces.

Making the Most of What Was Already There

A key part of this Sunbury home extension project was understanding that the best solution wasn’t necessarily to build as much as possible.

By combining careful internal reconfiguration, conversion of underused areas and targeted extensions, we were able to significantly improve the property without unnecessarily increasing the scale or cost of the project.

This approach allowed the clients to invest in the spaces that mattered most to them while retaining many of the original features and characteristics of their home.

The Result

The completed project has transformed the property into a home that better reflects the way the family lives today.

The new open-plan kitchen and dining space provides a generous area for family life and entertaining, while the redesigned lounge benefits from improved views towards the garden.

The former garage has become a flexible office and guest room, complete with a convenient downstairs shower/WC, while the previously underused storeroom has been transformed into a spacious utility room.

Upstairs, the new master bedroom and ensuite provide a comfortable private retreat.

Most importantly, the design successfully combines modern functionality with the original character of the property.

Rather than simply making the house bigger, we made it work better.

What our client said…

“We were very happy with the service provided by Fluent. We signed up for the full service including Planning and Design, Structural calculations and building control plans. They recommended several builders and helped us to compare quotes which was very useful. Would definitely recommend.”