the picture window house

The goal for this project was to extend a traditional semi-detached 1930's home by creating a wide, open-plan living and dining area that feels deeply connected to the garden. The layout is designed to maximise the width of the site, moving away from a cramped kitchen toward a generous, light-filled space where the family can cook, dine, and relax together.

From the garden, the extension reads as a clean, sculptural volume finished in a soft, textured clay render, with deeply recessed windows and doors that give the façade depth and weight.

The stone patio is set flush with the internal oak floor, allowing movement from the dining area into the garden to feel effortless and continuous.

The faceted form opens the interior to the garden from several angles, creating shifting views, stronger focal points and a greater sense of depth and connection. Two contrasting types of fenestration reinforce this relationship: a fixed picture window frames the landscape as a composed view, while the bi-folding doors create a wider, more direct connection to the outside. The angled façade also responds carefully to the site’s orientation, making the most of available light and garden views.

The interior is defined by a calm, tonal palette of pale oak floors and soft, sandy-colored walls. We avoided cluttered wall units, choosing instead a sleek, low-level kitchen run that keeps the eye focused on the garden outside.

The large, fixed-glass picture window, perfectly frames the mature trees and planting. Inside we integrated a deep, upholstered window seat directly into the oak frame. This creates a cozy "room within a room" where you can lounge right at the garden's edge.

The large timber bi-fold doors can be swept aside, completely opening the dining area to the patio and effectively doubling the living space on warm days.