How do you transform how a house is enjoyed with a relatively minimal intervention?
This experience of living in this 1920s villa in Craiglockhart, south-west Edinburgh was constrained by its layout and lack of natural light. The clients wanted a generous open-plan living space where family and friends could gather, together with a stronger connection between the house and garden.
Our response
The existing layout was carefully reorganised and a new kitchen and living extension added to the rear. This creates a generous open-plan space for cooking, dining and entertaining, with a much more direct relationship to the garden. A contemporary glazed link separates the extension from the original villa, allowing the distinction between old and new to remain clear.
Elsewhere, alterations were deliberately restrained, including replacement windows designed to better reflect the original 1920s character.
Materials and design
The new extension is clad in timber, contrasting with the rendered masonry of the existing villa. The glazed connection allows the original form of the house to remain legible while bringing additional daylight into the plan. Internally, the extension provides a more open and informal counterpart to the cellular rooms of the original house.
Outcome
The project gives the villa a new life while retaining its original character. The contemporary extension provides the space, light and connection to the garden required for modern family life, creating a clear relationship between old and new.
