HOW TO MAKE YOUR EXTENSION WORK WITH YOUR GARDEN

The design of your new structure needs to take into account your outdoor space and vice versa if you want the two to work together – as our guide explains

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You may not have given too much thought to making your extension work with your garden, instead focusing on the extra space you'll be gaining internally. But failing to ensure each does justice to the other is a missed opportunity. While building an extension is a project primarily undertaken to expand a property and add rooms, it needs to be designed in a holistic way that means its design, both inside and out, make the very most of and enhance your external spaces.

‘Adding an extension offers an excellent opportunity to reconsider how the property connects to the garden, enhancing the look and feel of a home as well as how you live within it,’ says Neil Gaskin, director at Sketch Architects.

AIM FOR A SEAMLESS CONNECTION

Any extension to your home should always be designed with the garden in mind, otherwise you risk it jarring with its surroundings. Ideally, you want the two elements to blend in a visually coherent way.

‘The connection between a house and its garden goes beyond mere visual appeal,’ explains Simon Drayson, director at George & James Architects. ‘It’s about creating a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces, where the boundaries blur and the garden becomes an integral extension of the living area. This relationship influences how a home feels, how it is used, and how it interacts with its natural surroundings.’

‘Creating a consistent floor level from the interior to the garden terrace can reduce a sense of difference,’ says Neil. ‘This can be further enhanced by installing any opening glazing with a fully recessed bottom fixing base track to have a totally step-free link. This instantly blurs the boundary between home and garden.’

ALIGN THE GARDEN WITH THE HOUSE