Single-storey extensions

Are you feeling cramped or crowded in your current home? If so, a single-storey extension can be a great way of adding space to your main living areas.

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Regardless of the direction in which you extend, whether it's the side, rear or both, their single status doesn't have to mean they are plain or boring.

In fact, the opposite is often the case. Building an extension that's single storey can provide a wealth of opportunities to use unusual shapes, finishes and glazing. Inside, depending on the purpose of the new space, equally as many opportunities exist to create a design that truly makes a mark.

What's the added benefit? Smaller, single-storey extension ideas may also require less planning. So whether you're looking to create a larger kitchen or an open-plan family space, here are 12 projects to inspire and help guide you towards your own project.

TAKE INSPIRATION FROM OVERSEAS ARCHITECTURE

Being tasked with bringing Australia to London is no mean feat when the climate is vastly different and the home you're being asked to extend has a north-facing aspect. Add to this the request for maximum living space, with planning restrictions in the area limiting the size of extensions, and the challenge was well and truly set for Mulroy Architects. The solution? A number of different techniques that balanced the need for light and space while still getting planning permission approval.

One of the key elements of the scheme was removing the internal staircase from the centre to the side of the home. This, in turn, released around 30% more floor space. By using a diagonal-shaped design and placing the extension at 45 degrees to face the light, the homeowners were left with a generous space that measures 9.3 metres deep and four metres high and gives extensive views out to the garden. Rooflights were used on the angled roof that appear to reach up to the sky, filling the new space with light and sky views, day and night.