Renovating
Pro Panel: 7 Smart Ideas to Maximise Space Without Extending
Can't extend to increase your floor space? Check out these clever solutions from UK pros to maximise the space you have
Extending to the rear or into a home’s exterior side return is often a simple – if structurally significant – solution to creating more space on the ground floor and improving the flow between rooms. However, those options may not fit with your budget, may not be allowed by council, or you may simply like the existing footprint of your home and want to preserve it.
Solution 1: Add extra inches with an oriel window
A deep window can create a new zone in a narrow space. Martins suggests this addition can also make a big difference.
In this scheme, an oriel window – one that protrudes beyond the external wall – has been designed in at the garden-facing end of a kitchen. It not only provides a place for someone to sit and chat to the chef, but also a gorgeous and generously proportioned outlook onto the greenery beyond.
A deep window can create a new zone in a narrow space. Martins suggests this addition can also make a big difference.
In this scheme, an oriel window – one that protrudes beyond the external wall – has been designed in at the garden-facing end of a kitchen. It not only provides a place for someone to sit and chat to the chef, but also a gorgeous and generously proportioned outlook onto the greenery beyond.
In this example – one of Martins’ own projects – an oriel window works harder still, expanding the kitchen’s dining area. It overlooks the side return and allows the dining table to take up a little less space, as the windowsill forms a bench seat.
“A window designed so it can be used as seating – and using some of the depth of the wall – will negate the need for chairs to one side of a dining table, freeing up a significant amount of room,” says Heckford. “This can be incredibly valuable where space is constrained.”
The window’s view also opens up the kitchen visually.
Thinking of renovating? Speak to an architect who’s familiar with your local council regulations first
“A window designed so it can be used as seating – and using some of the depth of the wall – will negate the need for chairs to one side of a dining table, freeing up a significant amount of room,” says Heckford. “This can be incredibly valuable where space is constrained.”
The window’s view also opens up the kitchen visually.
Thinking of renovating? Speak to an architect who’s familiar with your local council regulations first
Solution 2: Open up the hallway wall
Removing internal walls to open up your floor plan can be a brilliant solution for houses that are comprised of disconnected spaces. On the above plan, designed by Heckford, the removed walls are marked in red, showing how the narrow kitchen now flows into the hall and living spaces.
Removing internal walls to open up your floor plan can be a brilliant solution for houses that are comprised of disconnected spaces. On the above plan, designed by Heckford, the removed walls are marked in red, showing how the narrow kitchen now flows into the hall and living spaces.
Solution 3: Connect the living room and kitchen
If you have a living or dining room directly next to your kitchen and can knock down the wall, this is a great way to open up the space and make it more sociable and functional without extending your home.
“This creates so much more of an open space without having to [fork out for] an extension,” says Dean. This idea can be seen in the project pictured above, where Dean removed the wall separating the kitchen and the living room and replaced the original window with French doors.
“Without spending all the money on the extension, you have the budget left to update the kitchen and dining room to have a similar feel decor-wise,” she says.
If you have a living or dining room directly next to your kitchen and can knock down the wall, this is a great way to open up the space and make it more sociable and functional without extending your home.
“This creates so much more of an open space without having to [fork out for] an extension,” says Dean. This idea can be seen in the project pictured above, where Dean removed the wall separating the kitchen and the living room and replaced the original window with French doors.
“Without spending all the money on the extension, you have the budget left to update the kitchen and dining room to have a similar feel decor-wise,” she says.
Solution 4: Light the space with internal glazing
Glazing is another way to enhance your interior’s flow and sense of space without going down the side-extension route. While replacing an internal wall with glazing is certainly structural, it’s likely to be a lot less work than removing an external wall to build an extension.
“With internal glazing, we love to use Crittall doors to let light through in a modern space,” says Dean.
Glazing is another way to enhance your interior’s flow and sense of space without going down the side-extension route. While replacing an internal wall with glazing is certainly structural, it’s likely to be a lot less work than removing an external wall to build an extension.
“With internal glazing, we love to use Crittall doors to let light through in a modern space,” says Dean.
Solution 5: Consider a pocket door
Along the same lines, Dean suggests another way to open up and connect the interior spaces and create flexibility
is with a pocket door.
“These allow you to have the best of both worlds,” she says. “The space can be completely open-plan when necessary, but can also be closed to add a cosy, more private feel.”
Along the same lines, Dean suggests another way to open up and connect the interior spaces and create flexibility
is with a pocket door.
“These allow you to have the best of both worlds,” she says. “The space can be completely open-plan when necessary, but can also be closed to add a cosy, more private feel.”
Solution 6: Relocate your storage
One of the challenges of working with limited space is that the kitchen can be short on storage.
The possibility of creating an ‘overspill’ area that allows some of the kitchen functionality – the coffee machine or bulk shopping, say – to be bumped elsewhere is worth looking into, as it will potentially give you more floor space in the kitchen.
“We often try to make better use of the understairs area, as it can end up being under-utilised if it’s not organised,” says Dean. “If it’s near your kitchen, it could be a great space to build in a pantry of some kind, either to store food or tableware. If it’s near to your living areas, it could be a great space to build in cupboards for general storage.”
One of the challenges of working with limited space is that the kitchen can be short on storage.
The possibility of creating an ‘overspill’ area that allows some of the kitchen functionality – the coffee machine or bulk shopping, say – to be bumped elsewhere is worth looking into, as it will potentially give you more floor space in the kitchen.
“We often try to make better use of the understairs area, as it can end up being under-utilised if it’s not organised,” says Dean. “If it’s near your kitchen, it could be a great space to build in a pantry of some kind, either to store food or tableware. If it’s near to your living areas, it could be a great space to build in cupboards for general storage.”
Solution 7: Extend without knocking through
If you have a side return, demolishing the external walls isn’t always necessary to transform it into an indoor space. This area, which now functions as a dining room, has been given a roof and is connected to the rest of the ground floor by the original external window and an opening where the existing back door or a window would have been.
Heckford says this can be a good solution where the budget is tight and the external walls are in good shape and thermally well insulated.
If you have a side return, demolishing the external walls isn’t always necessary to transform it into an indoor space. This area, which now functions as a dining room, has been given a roof and is connected to the rest of the ground floor by the original external window and an opening where the existing back door or a window would have been.
Heckford says this can be a good solution where the budget is tight and the external walls are in good shape and thermally well insulated.
Your turn
Are you thinking of extending? Share your thoughts and experiences in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the renovation conversation.
More
For more great tips on designing for small spaces, read Meet the Cloffice: An Office Hidden Behind Closet Doors
Are you thinking of extending? Share your thoughts and experiences in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the renovation conversation.
More
For more great tips on designing for small spaces, read Meet the Cloffice: An Office Hidden Behind Closet Doors
Houzz spoke to three UK-based professionals for their top tips: Ana Martins of Martins Camisuli Architects; Cathy Dean of Studio Dean; and Simon Heckford of Oasys Property Solutions.