1960s Extension, Fernhurst, West Sussex

“What I find nice about my home is that it's very spacious and open, so you can hear each other and don't need to run up or downstairs all the time. There are lots of windows so you don't need the lights on all the time, and you look out to the garden wherever you are in the house.”

Oscar, age 10

The brief, to refurbish the entire house and transform it into a contemporary family home with a bright and airy character and flexible layout.

Stained black timber garden room and picture window beside the brick house, 1960s house, Fernhurst.

This detached property is located in the picturesque village of Fernhurst in West Sussex within the South Downs National Park. Its tired and dated original features and cellular room layout, lacked living accommodation and connections to the garden.

Black timber cladding wrapping the original brick above the garden terrace, 1960s house, Fernhurst.

Our design added an open-plan kitchen-dining area and a gallery study, that can also be converted into an extra bedroom at a later date, within a new two-storey, partially double-height extension. A new master bedroom extension with en-suite bathroom and dressing room has also been located above an existing garage. The conversion of an existing dining room and kitchen has provided a new snug area as further flexible living space that can be divided off by folding doors.

Dining table beside full-height glazed doors with the piano room beyond, 1960s house, Fernhurst.

Double-height glazing and a pendant light above the dining table, 1960s house, Fernhurst.

The new accommodation is flooded with light from double-height glazing to the south as well as full-height glazing for the kitchen and a high level feature window, carefully designed to cast the early morning sunlight across the entire length of the new open-plan layout.

Grand piano, wood-burning stove and wicker chairs in the sitting room, 1960s house, Fernhurst.

By applying Passivhaus principals and low-energy design, thermal improvements were made to the entire building envelope. These changes together with a new solar thermal hot water system, have achieved a two-third reduction in energy bills.