06/06/2026
The council thought we’d build a glass extension. We didn’t.
One of the biggest lessons from renovating our Grade II listed Georgian home has been that more space, or extending as you think you normally would, isn’t always the answer.
Swipe to the end to see the existing kitchen on the lower ground floor, which would originally have been the servants’ kitchen. Whilst it works, it doesn’t suit how a modern family lives, constantly moving up and down tight stairs throughout the day.
After countless design iterations (internally.. my sketchbook is filled!), heritage discussions and feasibility studies, we realised the best solution for the kitchen, wasn’t extending the house at all….
Instead, we’re relocating the kitchen to the rear of the house, overlooking the garden through this beautiful curved bay window, creating a space where our family can sit together every morning and enjoy the view down the garden. And rather than adding an extension, we’re building an ancillary garden studio within the largest part of the garden. It will serve our family far better, provide flexible space for work and entertaining, and importantly, respect the original heritage and setting of the plot.
We’ve now secured planning permission and listed building consent, so the question is no longer what we can do, but where we start!! The priority is making the house safe, upgrading it to modern standards, restoring its historic fabric, and building our new garden studio.
***And before anyone asks, no, this isn’t AI. It’s a SketchUp model rendered in V-Ray using the exact site coordinates and sun path***
There’s a huge amount of work ahead, and we’re incredibly excited to share the journey with you. Follow along as we bring Willow Holme back to life. Kate x
