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Extension living room


16 small house extension ideas for enhancing your space

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Small house extension ideas can make a real difference to how you're able to use your living space. Even if your budget is small, a well thought-through addition to your house can make a tiny dining area more usable, or create extra space for a home office. Extensions also can enhance natural light, link existing areas of the property, and improve the overall design, letting a space breathe a bit more. 

Whether you're adding a porch or a modest loft extension, a small single storey extension, or a side return extension, you can add both value and space to your home if you get it right. These small house extension ideas will get you started.

Find much more advice on how to extend a house in our ultimate guide.

How much do small house extensions cost?

You can expect to pay from £900 to £3,000 per m² depending on location, specification and scale. For a good idea of the cost of your small extension, check out our extension cost calculator.

It's worth noting that smaller single storey extensions tend to be proportionally more expensive than double storey extensions because of fixed costs such as planning and design, building regulations fees and the fact that there are no economies of scale. This said, they are a worthy investment if their addition will transform the feel of your space. 

Whether you want to maximise loft space with a loft conversion, or add more living space downstairs with a basement conversion, we've got all the advice on small house extensions you need. Or perhaps you want to up the square feet at the front of your house by adding a porch, or bring more light into your home and connect to the garden by building an orangery; the options are abundant.

16 small house extension ideas

1. Create space by adding a porch

(Image credit: Katie Lee)

Adding a new porch can act as a useful buffer to the elements, especially if your front door opens directly into a living room, or you'd like to make a small hallway feel more spacious.

2. Add a box dormer to create more full-height space

(Image credit: Alison Hammond)

If you've inherited a loft conversion from a former owner and are dissatisfied with the amount of full-height space, a box dormer is an easy solution that promises to transform the feel of your loft. It can be especially useful in providing the headroom needed to add stairs into a loft (1.9m minimum at centre) or for a loft bathroom.

3. Add a living room extension

(Image credit: Leanne Dixon)

Extensions that add only a metre or two in width can’t usefully form a living room in their own right, so it is often best to use the space to extend an existing room, linking old and new with as wide an opening as possible. The exception is if the space is used as a cloakroom or utility room.

4. Connect your home to a converted garage with a covered walkway

(Image credit: Brent Darby)

A covered walkway linking a house to an outbuilding, such as a garage conversion, can be very successful. A glazed walkway can be a great solution to planning restrictions – for example, a listed building, where a solid link would be inappropriate.

See our feature for more garage conversion ideas.

5. Transform a dark basement with a lightwell

(Image credit: James Balston)

Adding a small glazed extension to the back of a basement conversion will flood the space with light, helping it appear larger and lighter. The extension needs only to be modest in scale, and works well if it opens onto a sunken courtyard, with stairs up to the garden.

6. Add a bay window extension

(Image credit: Adam Carter)

A projecting bay window extension can enlarge a room and does not necessarily require foundations – it can be cantilevered on brackets from the existing structure. Windows on three sides also bring in extra light, enhancing the spacious feel of a room.

7. Fill in with a side return extension

(Image credit: Tim Mitchell)

Many terraced and semi-detached homes have a small outdoor area behind and at the side, called the side return. Filling the space with a single-storey extension is a great way to increase the size of a kitchen, making it better suited to become an open plan kitchen, living, and dining room. When it comes to small house extension ideas, this is one of the most popular.

Find out more about adding a side return extension, and take a look at our gallery of terraced house design for inspiration. 

8. Replace solid roofing with a length of glass to exaggerate the extension's size

(Image credit: Polly Eltes)

A long length of glass – or a series of rooflights – ideally leading the eye towards a window at the far end of your small extension will help exaggerate not just its length but the ceiling height, too. In a small extension, it's really important to choose glass that has slim or near invisible framing. This won't just make the windows seem larger, it will let in more light, too. And what does a bright room feel? Bigger – and, of course, more welcoming. 

Large single panes are the ideal, but they will be much more expensive than rooflights – and the good news is that Velux has an affordable bespoke product now so that you can design yours to fit your small extension perfectly.

9. Add a lean-to conservatory 

(Image credit: Jo Sheldrake)

An addition that can be built (subject to size and design) without planning permission or building regulations consent, building a conservatory is a great way to create an additional living room. To use it all year round though, you will need to invest in heating and conservatory blinds.

Find out more about building a conservatory in our guide. Use our guides to planning permission and building regulations for more information about any other extension type you'd like to build.

10. Build an orangery

(Image credit: Anglian Home Improvement)

Adding an orangery is the perfect balance between building an extension and conservatory. With areas of solid walls and solid roof with a glazed roof lantern, it is better insulated than a conservatory and is easier to control the temperature. See our guide above for lots more information.

11. Add an oak frame extension

(Image credit: Border Oak)

There are many modular extension systems that offer a design-and-build solution for a new room. An oak frame extension is a more traditional option – a single room with a pitched roof featuring a vaulted ceiling with exposed trusses.

12. Build a small glazed extension

(Image credit: Richard Chivers)

Whether you're planning to build a single storey extension into a side return or across the back of your house, adding in a large expanse of glazing into your design will ensure your newly expanded room is flooded with light all year round. This is one of the best small house extension ideas for creating more brightness in your home. 

Suited to both contemporary and period homes, glass extensions are governed by building regulations, although you may not need planning permission. Find out all you need to know in our guide to glass extensions.

13. Add a small house extension at the rear

(Image credit: Lewis Alderson)

Adding a single storey extension at the rear of your property can totally transform your home. It might be that it allows you to have a larger kitchen diner or living space. 

Or, let's say you have a kitchen running across the back of your house and you extend 2m out into the garden; you then build a partition wall at the back end of the original kitchen to create a room in (effectively) the middle of the house that's 1m to 2m deep. In that small, dark space, you can put utilities, whether a utility room or cloakroom, while your kitchen sits within the bright garden end of the original room plus the new extended space. You sensibly put rooflights into the roof of the small extension to make your new kitchen lighter and brighter than the new room, plus of course with the new utility space behind it, you've freed it up of all the laundry space and extra storage space you might have needed before. 

Use our guides to single storey extensions and designing a utility room to get your small house extension spot on.

14. Convert an integral garage

(Image credit: Marc Wilson Photography)

If you have an integral garage, converting it to create a new living space may well be worthwhile. Always check, before you proceed, with a trusted local estate agent to ensure that you won't be damaging the value of your home or its saleability. But as a general rule, if on street parking is not an issue, or if you have off street parking, converting the garage will be valuable both in terms of living space and potential profit when you sell on. This garage, by Stephen Graver Architects , has allowed a small, dark kitchen to be opened out into a new living space, connected to the upper floor. Use our ultimate guide to find out everything you need to know about garage conversions.

15. Add a box window

IQ Glass supplied the glazing for this project by ARCHEA Architecture. Structural glass Oriel windows from IQ Glass start from £8,000 (exc VAT), including design and installation.

(Image credit: IQ Glass / ARCHEA)

When every inch counts, a box window could be just the thing to expand a limited space and provide a show-stopping visual feature. An update on the traditional oriel windows found on the upper storey of period buildings, these contemporary glazed boxes protrude from the wall and though they appear to float they're sturdy enough to form a window seat. Include one within an extension or in the adjoining main building. Select black framing for definition, or pick an effortlessly chic frameless version to maximise the daylight.

16. Enhance a small kitchen extension with indoor-outdoor flooring

Valverdi Iguazu Stone Effect Indoor Outdoor Porcelain Tiles , The London Tile Co.

(Image credit: The London Tile Co.)

Laying down continuous porcelain tile flooring throughout your extension and patio is one of the most effective ways to make your extension appear larger, and one of the most simple small house extension ideas. You'll have to use your judgment here: if your outdoor area is tiny, and the kitchen extension will face directly onto it, you may as well sacrifice this outdoor space in order to get the most from your kitchen/dining area. This will mean, however, that the outdoor area will need to be kept relatively clear. You can, of course, still have outdoor furniture and plant pots, but the streamlined, space-enhancing effect will be reduced.  

Looking for more extension advice?

Michael is Director of Content & Product Development for Future Homes. Prior to this he was Editor in Chief of Real Homes magazine, Period Living and Homebuilding & Renovating and he also served as Editor of Homebuiling & Renovating for several years. As well as being an expert in renovation, having presented multiple property TV shows and authoring Renovating for Profit (Ebury, 2008), Michael has a personal and professional interest in self build and helps others achieve their dreams of building a unique home. He is also Deputy Chair of NaCSBA and has campaigned for the self-build sector for many years, regularly sitting with government parties to advise on the industry.

7 Stunning home extension ideas


 A home extension is an extremely effective way to make the most of your living space. You can improve the aesthetic beauty of your home, and increase its value. A home extension is a cost effective alternative to selling your home or building a new home. Home extensions can be used for living space, for work, or to accommodate guests. You may also add an extension to your home to accommodate extended family. Here are 7 inspirational ideas for a stunning home extension.

 

Small Project Extensions

The most common rooms that homeowners choose to extend are the kitchen, master bedroom, or the den. If these rooms are located in an outer area, it is easy to extend the space by knocking out a wall and making the room bigger. You can install large windows for more light, or glass in an entire wall. You can also add a fireplace with built-in bookshelves for a cozy seating arrangement.

 

Two Storey Extension

A great way to extend your living space is by adding a balcony. The balcony roof will provide a shady area outside the living room. The rear living room wall could be replaced with glass doors. Additional space for entertaining can be achieved by adding a deck or patio. A tall trellis extending to the second storey provides privacy and additional shade.

 

Victorian Home Dining Extension

Victorian houses were typically designed with a narrow, unused space at the rear of the house. Breathe new life into the space by adding an extension to use as a dining area, with a glass roof to provide natural light. A brick wall with recessed lighting adds emphasis.

 

Living Room Extension

A small living room can be made larger by adding a glazed extension to the room. This has the effect of bringing the outdoors inside. It is particularly effective when the view in the room is overlooking your garden. You can enhance it even more by adding a decked patio area and decorating the space with colorful plants and trees.

 

Add a Sunroom

A small sunroom provides extra space for relaxing, reading a good book, or enjoying some quiet time. It’s ideal for those cold winter days when you spend more time indoors. However, a sunroom is a wonderful area you can enjoy all-year round. This home extension can be an entirely new addition, accessible by a door in the house, or you could transform an existing room into the sunroom and use it as an additional living space.

 

Add a Home Office

A stunning home office extension makes working at home even more enjoyable. Renovating an existing room and extending it to add large, bay windows, a comfortable seating area, and floor to ceiling bookshelves provide privacy combined with plenty of space.

 

Add a Guest House or Studio

Additional living space or a studio can be constructed from an existing garage. This is a versatile way to add extra space for guests to stay or for you to use as an artist’s studio. The space outside can be converted into a patio for entertaining. A fire pit or outdoor fireplace is a special touch.

 

You will, of course, probably need funding to do any of these properly. Unless you are a skilled tradesman, these are well beyond the realm of a DIY project. You’ll need to get in professionals, and that means money. Fortunately there has never been as good a time to be shopping around for mortgage deals.  Rates are forecast to go up in the near future, so if you are thinking about adding a home extension, now is a great time to do it.

Photo Sources: 1. Moore Architects, 2. Gardner Mohr Architects, 3. Hufft Projects, 4. APD Interiors, 5. Shades Of Green Landscape Architecture, 6. Stelle Lomont Rouhani Architects, 7. CHECA Architects, 8. Lake Country Builders, 9. Emilie Mauran Renovation, 10. Sevimli Mimarlik, 11. Shubin + Donaldson Architects, 12. Jim Murphy and Associates, 13. Shubin + Donaldson Architects, 14. Balodemas Architects, 15. Roundhouse Design, 16. AVP Architect, 17. Gort Scott Architects, 18. Anna Evans Architect, 19. Pinterest, 20. Schmitt + Company, 21. Karin Payson Architecture, 22. David Churchill Photography

Houzz UK: Home Annex - with kitchen and reading area

Reading nook next to the panoramic window, high glass doors to the garden and spacious kitchen with living room

Campbell Cadey

house. They needed to expand the kitchen, turning the kitchen-living room space into a place where the whole family gathers.

About
Location: Victorian house, London, UK
Size: kitchen combined with living room 56.5 sqm
Who lives here: lawyer family with two children
Project architect: Ruth Campbell, Campbell Cadey
Photo: 90 Richard Architectural Photography

Campbell Cadey

The new addition overlooks the backyard, behind which begins the protected forest. And the owners wanted to open the kitchen part to the side of nature to the maximum. Architect Ruth Campbell recalls: “We didn't want to create one big amorphous space on the first floor. It was necessary to make an open layout, but with very clear zones. nine0005

Campbell Cadey

Kitchen extension sketch

Ruth decided not to make the kitchen extension the full width of the house: “The building is already quite wide, so it would have made the size of the house too bulky relative to the lot. ”

Campbell Cadey

House plan before renovation

After buying the house, the owners realized that the kitchen was too small. And the only solution, in their opinion, was an extension to the house, which expanded the kitchen part. nine0005

Campbell Cadey

Ground floor plan with extension

The architect reconfigured the ground floor to create a large family space. It has a good sized kitchen that opens on one side towards the living room and on the other side to the wooded area behind it.

Campbell Cadey

The extension was planned to match the style and materials of the rest of the house. It was built from reclaimed brick, similar in color to the old building. Some of the new walls were plastered to match the building's windows. nine0005

Campbell Cadey

A white block with a panoramic window made benches for reading inside and outside the house. The cantilever at the top of the extension is made in order to create a shadow over the resting place.

From the side of the street, a fire bowl has been placed in front of the bench, next to which you can arrange family gatherings.

Campbell Cadey

The roof of the kitchen part was made transparent. From this angle, you can see that the site goes towards the forest.

Campbell Cady

The annex also has a side exit with a blind door (to the left of the window with a seat).

Campbell Cadey

The architect added hidden recesses above the doors and windows that could accommodate built-in blinds if desired: “If the owners find it too hot in the annex, they can install blinds later without disturbing the lines.”

Campbell Cadey

The window seat is deep enough to sit down to read or have a morning cup of tea.

Campbell Cadey

“Many people puzzle over how to hang a chandelier under a glass roof. Here we did not invent new ways and simply hung the ceiling on a swivel bracket, it is attached to the wall, ”says Ruth.

Campbell Cade

Dining room and kitchen view

Campbell Cade

IKEA sofa; armchair Eames RAR

Lots of light in the living area thanks to floor-to-ceiling sliding doors. There is a wood-burning fireplace and a large corner sofa. nine0005

Campbell Cadey

Kitchen cabinets painted Mole's Breath, Farrow & Ball; Neff ovens

The kitchen frames were bought at IKEA, the fronts were sewn on from Naked, and Carrara marble was used for the countertop. Everything a family needs was planned and placed in the kitchen: a full-sized refrigerator, a freezer, a pantry, a dishwasher, two built-in ovens.

The walls were painted white. “I often use white because it reflects light very well and can make a space look bigger and brighter,” Ruth says. nine0005

Campbell Cadey

Wall Lights Mini Glo-Ball, Flos

The island in the kitchen is quite deep and the space is used for storage.

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An extension to a house is often a justified solution, primarily because it expands the living or office space.

In the extension you can place the hallway, kitchen, dining room, rest room, winter garden, children's, cabinet, bedroom, garage, pr.

, depending on the configuration of the house and location it on the site, you can attach an additional room to its side or facade. If you think over its design and design, the general appearance of the building can be significantly improved and made more modern. What are the nuances for this to be taken into account? nine0005

Read : Foundation for an extension to the house

ANSTRUCTION to the house - what will give

think well, so that there is a good thing for you. . The convenience of your family living in the house will increase, but this may not be the only reason. You can plan to sell your home in the future and the extra living space will increase the value of the building. nine0005

The concrete block extension is larger than the house in this case. Foundations for such buildings cannot be connected.

The extension should be a continuation of the outer part of the house. It should look like the annex has been there from the start. The style of the house and extension, the type of material should be the same. Although there are situations when you can deviate from this rule - wooden and glass outbuildings are in good harmony with any structures and materials .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Budget, time and documents for construction

A small extension to the house can be planned independently, otherwise it is better to resort to the help of an architect. Before hiring a construction team, discuss in detail with the workers the future construction, look at their portfolio (photos of the work that was made by these specialists). nine0005

9000 dedicated to this project. If building an extension is important right now, do not let other events distract you - this will delay construction for a long period. Your family members may not like the noise and other inconveniences associated with the work. In this case, consider temporarily moving them to their parents, friends, sending them on vacation. ninePlan your budget carefully. Do not expect that it will be possible to make an extension in parts, as the money comes in. Keep in mind that during the course of the project, unforeseen circumstances may arise that require funds.

9000 9 008

Make sure that you have permits for the construction of the extension. Usually, for this you need to contact the administration at your place of residence, as well as get the "blessing" of the neighbors, especially if your house is located close to the border of the site.

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