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Victorian Terrace Sun Balcony Case Study #3

4/29/2019

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This project was for a couple who love sunshine, entertaining and cocktails.

Wanting to maximise their enjoyment of their Victorian terrace home, they called me in for a Home Design Workshop to explore the potential for a sunny roof terrace.
Victorian Terrace Roof Balcony

​This couple were keen home improvers and had already extended their ground floor to create a beautiful open plan kitchen diner that opened out to their spectacularly lush back garden that rose up a steep slope behind their home.

They had also reconfigured their bedrooms to make it easy for them to entertain guests with two beautiful double bedrooms with ensuites. Their own bedroom had been further maximised by opening up to the loft space to create a dramatic double storey space with a small storage mezzanine.

Their garden, although stunning and well designed for entertaining, lost light towards the end of the day and was in shade by the evening.


What they were missing was some space to enjoy cocktails in the sunshine towards the end of the day.

Cocktails in the Sunshine

They had discovered that their mezzanine space enjoyed the last of the evening rays and they wanted to see if they might be able to have a private sunny roof terrace where they could enjoy time together as a couple, enjoying a full evenings worth of sunshine.

This project explored if it was going to be possible to create a roof terrace given the size and configuration of the space. It also created sketches that could be used to discuss the proposal with planners to check on its potential to gain planning approval.
​

Space for Entertaining at Home

Although the balcony was feasible, the option to use a balcony rooflight, such as the Cabrio by Velux, seemed like a more affordable and flexible option for this couple.

A rooflight balcony would maintain the same mezzanine space internally but allow them to open it up during the summer to create the balcony as and when they wanted it.

​Let's face it the UK isn't blessed with all year round sunshine so sunbathing and cocktails in the evening sunshine is unlikely to be a daily occurrence, unless we see some dramatic effects from Climate Change.

Victorian Home Roof Terrace
This sketch design gave this couple all the information they needed to help them make decisions for their next home improvements and saved them from making an expensive mistake with their home.

Design Your Home Vision Checklist

Get started with the free Design Your Home Vision checklist. This will help you kickstart your home improvements.

Download yours with the button below to get your home project off to a great start:
  • make the fundamental decisions
  • gather the essential information
  • set your priorities
  • define your wishlist​ ​

I want the checklist!
Design Your Home Vision Checklist
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Home Design Consultation - case study #2

5/17/2016

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kitchen table before extension
Early in 2015 I visited our client at home in Bramhall, Cheshire. We sat around the kitchen table to discuss our clients wishes for their home and what they needed for their project. Now a completed extension, this blog is a review of what we achieved with this project in a small space on a tight budget.

"I needed some professional drawings for a small extension to my kitchen and advice on building regs, etc. I had a rough plan with my initial ideas and someone to build it but needed some more accurate plans that my builder could build from. The house is 300 years old so nothing is straight!"

before extending
The planned extension was small needing to fit in a lot of functionality. The brief included:
  • new downstairs loo
  • cloakroom
  • larger dining area off the kitchen
  • new entrance hall
  • covered unheated porch
  • to feel like sitting in the garden
  • maintain maximum light into the kitchen

As this was a small project, not requiring planning permission, of traditional build and our client had a competent builder in place, it was possible for the project to progress with only our sketch design. The client and builder made all decisions on detailed design, although we were available should our support be required during construction. Building regulations were dealt with on notice by the builder.

home design sketch plan
Although the space was limited we managed to create:
  • new downstairs loo, with easy access giving more privacy upstairs
  • new front door position, visible from the road making it easier to find especially for deliveries
  • larger space for dining, with better light and direct views and access into the garden
  • cloakroom area with dedicated space for coats and storage in the new hall
  • gallery space

"I really enjoyed our discussions and solutions and everyone was really excited by the plans. The extension took 5 months but it is now finished and we have the final sign off certificate."

If you want to make a massive difference to your life with some home improvements let us know and book your own Home Design Workshop with iarchitect.
completed extension external view

"It is gorgeous, really gorgeous and has made a massive difference to our lives. Thank you so much for the design - you did a fab job."

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Home Design Consultation - Case Study #1

2/13/2015

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We frequently save our clients thousands of pounds through our Home Design Workshops. This project is an example of how our analysis and assessment of our clients needs and their homes ensure that we design solutions that suit both lifestyles and budget.

In this home our clients wanted a better connection  from the family room
to the garden and kitchen. They enjoy entertaining and wanted to host their legendary barbecues in a sunnier patio with quicker kitchen access. The old conservatory was blocking the garden view and the lean-to store was blocking out evening sunshine from the patio.
 

Existing Ground Floor Plan

Existing Ground Floor Sketch Plan

Extension Option

Sketch Plan Proposed Option
Our clients felt they would need an extension to achieve this. So we looked at how an extension might work to create more room, to link to the steeply sloping garden and between the kitchen and family room. They also wanted to move the laundry and freezer from the lean-to store room and into the house to make them easier to access.

We discovered that they had an unused space under the stairs ideal for storage and that their kitchen was brand new and that they were happy with it, apart from the poor link to the family room.

As an alternative we showed them how to create additional storage space within the kitchen, improve the connection with the family room and create a sunnier and easier to access space for entertaining in the garden. This option would simply mean some minor internal alterations, garden landscaping and demolition of the dilapidated conservatory and lean-to store. An option which would save them over £20k in construction costs.

We love improving our clients lives and whenever possible saving them money at the same time. We could help you to do the same with one of our Home Design Consultations.

Light Touch Option

Sketch Plan Proposed Option
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    Design Your Home Vision

    The Design Your Home Vision Checklist will help you kickstart your home improvements.

    Download yours with the button below to get your home project off to a great start:
    • make the fundamental decisions
    • gather the essential information
    • set your priorities
    • define your wishlist​ ​

    Get started with the free Design Your Home Vision checklist.
    I want the Checklist!

    Author

    Jane Leach, principal architect at i-architect

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