9 Ideas to Inspire Your Side Return Extension Plans
Considering a side extension? Check out these stunning designs to get some inspiration for your own home
If you have some extra space at the side of your property, you can make the most of it by building outwards. Take a look at these homes to see how you can maximise the space and make your extension work for you.
Keep it compact
Your side extension doesn’t have to be large to make a difference to your home, as this smart solution illustrates. The team at TURN Architects extended the side of the house by just 4 sq m in order to open up the dining area to the kitchen and let in more light.
Your side extension doesn’t have to be large to make a difference to your home, as this smart solution illustrates. The team at TURN Architects extended the side of the house by just 4 sq m in order to open up the dining area to the kitchen and let in more light.
Here, you can see how the addition has widened the opening to the kitchen. The rooflights and windows in the side extension also bring more daylight into the previously dark space.
Take a peek at the rest of this small extension that has revamped a dark kitchen
Take a peek at the rest of this small extension that has revamped a dark kitchen
Play with angles
If you want to make the most of the space, it pays to be clever with your design. A good architect will be able to see how your side extension can really manipulate the space available.
Here, the team at Architect Your Home have added a sloped section to the flat roof to bring in more height and light. They’ve also angled the glazed wall at the back to reflect the angle of the adjacent brick wall, creating an attractive design feature.
If you want to make the most of the space, it pays to be clever with your design. A good architect will be able to see how your side extension can really manipulate the space available.
Here, the team at Architect Your Home have added a sloped section to the flat roof to bring in more height and light. They’ve also angled the glazed wall at the back to reflect the angle of the adjacent brick wall, creating an attractive design feature.
Opt for glass
If you want plenty of natural light to flood into your home, a glass side extension could be the answer. The glazed construction by Dos Architects on the side of this Regency house has a light touch that allows the modern design to tone in with the original period architecture.
If you’re going to add a glass roof to your side extension, opt for self-cleaning glass, as it’ll be tricky to gain access to wash the windows. This one also has a solar filter to avoid overheating in the summer.
Take a tour of this historic townhouse with a modern makeover
If you want plenty of natural light to flood into your home, a glass side extension could be the answer. The glazed construction by Dos Architects on the side of this Regency house has a light touch that allows the modern design to tone in with the original period architecture.
If you’re going to add a glass roof to your side extension, opt for self-cleaning glass, as it’ll be tricky to gain access to wash the windows. This one also has a solar filter to avoid overheating in the summer.
Take a tour of this historic townhouse with a modern makeover
Add contrast
An important element to consider when designing your side return extension is how to tie in the façade with the rest of the property. Do you make a seamless connection, or do you make a feature of the difference? Here, the architects at Gort Scott combined the two.
The new section uses similar bricks to the original building, but the shade is darker. The window frames are also darker than the white sash windows elsewhere to emphasise the difference between old and new.
An important element to consider when designing your side return extension is how to tie in the façade with the rest of the property. Do you make a seamless connection, or do you make a feature of the difference? Here, the architects at Gort Scott combined the two.
The new section uses similar bricks to the original building, but the shade is darker. The window frames are also darker than the white sash windows elsewhere to emphasise the difference between old and new.
Create a harmonious look
The beautiful French windows leading out from the original kitchen in this period property are too lovely to lose. However, it was important to make sure the new side extension worked in harmony with them.
The architects at Paul Archer Design have achieved this by going for a glazed roof extension with a simple side-opening picture window. The resulting design is light and unobtrusive, and doesn’t clash with the rest of the property.
The beautiful French windows leading out from the original kitchen in this period property are too lovely to lose. However, it was important to make sure the new side extension worked in harmony with them.
The architects at Paul Archer Design have achieved this by going for a glazed roof extension with a simple side-opening picture window. The resulting design is light and unobtrusive, and doesn’t clash with the rest of the property.
Go wall to wall
Want a seamless finish at the rear of your home? Combine your side extension with a rear extension to create a look that’s uninterrupted along the width of the property. This extension by CATO Creative makes use of every inch along the rear of the house. The wide back wall is the perfect place for a large expanse of bifold doors to bring the outside in.
Want a seamless finish at the rear of your home? Combine your side extension with a rear extension to create a look that’s uninterrupted along the width of the property. This extension by CATO Creative makes use of every inch along the rear of the house. The wide back wall is the perfect place for a large expanse of bifold doors to bring the outside in.
Be clever with storage
The owners of this property have decided not to open up their side return extension to the adjacent room. Instead, with the help of YARD Architects, they’ve created a cosy dining nook away from the rest of the home.
As the room is quite small, however, the architects have been clever with storage – the whole of the side wall is fitted with timber shelves, providing plenty of space for everything from books to ceramics to houseplants.
The owners of this property have decided not to open up their side return extension to the adjacent room. Instead, with the help of YARD Architects, they’ve created a cosy dining nook away from the rest of the home.
As the room is quite small, however, the architects have been clever with storage – the whole of the side wall is fitted with timber shelves, providing plenty of space for everything from books to ceramics to houseplants.
Pop in a window seat
A side return extension not only increases space, it also provides the opportunity to create an extra view out to the garden. Bring in as much of the outside as you can by asking your architects to design as large an opening as possible.
Here, the team at ARCHEA have made the most of the glazed feature by building a window seat next to it, where the owners can sit and enjoy the outdoor space.
Tell us…
What are your plans for your side return extension? Have any of these ideas inspired you? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
A side return extension not only increases space, it also provides the opportunity to create an extra view out to the garden. Bring in as much of the outside as you can by asking your architects to design as large an opening as possible.
Here, the team at ARCHEA have made the most of the glazed feature by building a window seat next to it, where the owners can sit and enjoy the outdoor space.
Tell us…
What are your plans for your side return extension? Have any of these ideas inspired you? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
A side return extension often provides a new passageway from the front to the back of the property. When thinking about the transition between these areas, it’s important to consider how you’re going to connect the old part of your home to the new.
The architect at ARCHEA who created this extension has used stairs and a pocket door to cleverly balance the two spaces. The pocket door can be pulled right back for an uninterrupted connection between the front and back of the house, but the change in level clearly emphasises the division.
See before and after pictures of this Victorian terrace transformed by a side extension