June 29, 2014

Small Extensions

Written by Rebecca Clayton

A small extension with structural glass roof and slim framed sliding doors to the garden

Even a small extension can dramatically change and improve the internal layout and feel of a home, allowing for open plan living, merging kitchen and living areas in a family home, and opening up the living areas inside to whatever garden space is available. All these renovation techniques create a more open and spacious living situation which is strived for in modern residential architecture.

In compact living areas such as London, these small few meters added to a home as usable living space can add significant value to a property. In other areas of the UK, a small extension is often preferred in order to comply with Permitted Development criteria, allowing for the extension of homes without lengthy planning permission needed.

The Vitrendo Glass Extension from IQ Glass

But small extensions and small homes can still feel small if clever architectural techniques are not used properly. One of these techniques is the correct and effective use of glazed elements.

Trying to merge a living area with a garden isn’t as easy as just sticking some bi-fold doors to the rear of a house. It’s the little details like creating a flush threshold across the opening tracks, ensuring minimal framing and large areas of glass that allow this illusion of an indoor-outdoor living area even when the opening doors are closed.

Turney Road - A Small Extension in Putney with minimally framed opening glass doors

IQ often use our minimally framed sliding doors for these types of project. With minimal sightlines, flush floor details, large glass areas and frameless surround they are an obvious and aesthetically stunning solution to these spaces.

On a recent structural glass extension project Turney Road, IQ Glass helped create a light-filled new living area to this family home in Putney with the use of structural glazing. The space is a small addition to the home but the new internal layout now merges the kitchen, dining and living areas and leads directly out into the small rear garden through IQ’s ultra slim framed sliding glass doors. The other two faces of the extension get added natural light courtesy of the frameless structural glass panels used as retuning walls for a complexly glass-enclosed space. The clever use of a solid roof removes the feeling of sitting in a glass box - instead, a warm, light living area has been created.

Turney Road - The solid roof stops it feel like a glass box

View our Pinterest board on Small Extensions for more design ideas and examples of using glass in these small additions – Small Extensions on Pinterest.

Visit our showroom in Amersham for examples and ideas about how to create your own extension or contact us on the details below:

01494 722 880                    hello@iqglassuk.com

The Courtyard Showroom, Sky House, Raans Road, Amersham, HP6 6FT