This 19th century sandstone cottage has a rear extension of steel and glass completed in the 1990's. We were asked to review the entire house with particular attention to the poor thermal performance and the extreme disconnectedness of the the old cottage to the newer steel addition.
We employed a strategy of joinery installation pieces that define, connect and conceal. A wall of cupboards facing the sitting room hides a door to a new (secret) bathroom. A wall between sitting room and study was replaced by open shelving and low cupboards allowing light sharing but retaining the scale of the cottage rooms. New wardrobe and dressing table joinery create privacy for a mezzanine bedroom while keeping a connection to the bigger volume. Significant work was also done to insulate the roof, improve the cross ventilation, renovate and replace timber floors and underpin the structure.
Photography by Kilian O'Sullivan