Glass and Steel House Extension in Ditchling Conservation Area

This case study involved the design of a minimalist glass and steel rear extension to a 1930s house at Barnfield Gardens in Ditchling Conservation Area.

The project is a useful example of how a carefully designed house extension can improve everyday living space while responding to a sensitive village and conservation area setting.

Project type

  • External client project
  • House extension
  • Kitchen and dining extension
  • Glass and steel rear extension
  • Conservation area project
  • Low-energy extension

Location

Barnfield Gardens, Ditchling, East Sussex

The brief

The owners wanted to enlarge and improve the existing kitchen, creating a brighter and more generous living space with a stronger relationship to the garden.

The brief was to create a new glazed kitchen and dining room that would improve the way the house worked while giving the rear of the property a clearer architectural character.

The challenge

No. 4 Barnfield Gardens is an unusual house for Ditchling and the South Downs National Park context. Rather than being a traditional village cottage, it forms part of a 1930s estate-type setting.

FRONTAGE BEFORE ALTERATION
View onto village green

The challenge was to design a contemporary extension that improved the house without appearing heavy-handed in a conservation area. The proposal needed to respect the setting while also giving the existing home a more confident and useful rear living space.

The design response

Dalby Architecture designed a minimalist structural steel and glass extension to the rear of the house.

The design enlarged and elevated the kitchen, creating a glazed kitchen and dining room overlooking the garden. The use of steel and glass gave the extension a light, contemporary character while allowing the original house to remain legible.

The result is a modern intervention that improves daylight, space and the connection between the house and garden.

Two-story white house with a brick chimney, glass extension, and green garden under a blue sky with wispy clouds.
Garden Elevation
Interior of a modern home: white staircase railing, open living/dining area, and large glass doors to a green backyard outside.
New entrance hall link to kitchen extension
Open living/dining room with large glass walls overlooking a green backyard; wooden floor and a dining table with chairs beneath two pendant lights.
Entrance Hall Link to Dining Area
Modern dining area with a long wooden table, black chairs, and floor-to-ceiling glass walls showing greenery outside.
Entrance Hall link to dining area
Open, modern dining area with a long table, black chairs, and gold pendant lights; glass walls overlook a green garden.
Modern kitchen with gray cabinetry, marble island, and a Dalmatian walking across a wooden floor; glass-front display cabinet on the left shows glassware.
New Kitchen
Open-plan kitchen and dining area with a central island, round table, and glass walls overlooking a garden.
Kitchen with Snug and Utility Room
Open-plan kitchen and dining area with a curved gray booth around a round wooden table, overlooking a bright skylight and garden outside.
Rooflight and Side lighting details
Modern kitchen with a dark marble island, gray cabinetry, and built-in appliances facing a large window to a green backyard.
Kitchen with Snug and Utility Room
Cozy living room with dark walls, white beamed ceiling, gray sectional sofa, cowhide rug, and round gold coffee table; bookshelves and a desk by sunlit windows.
Sitting Room
Modern bathroom with a freestanding oval bathtub, wall mirror, glass shower, and orange towels on a heated rack against gray tile walls.
Ensuite Bathroom
Glass-walled shower with rainfall shower head and built-in shelf, next to a wall-mounted white basin in a modern bathroom.
Shower Room

Conservation area design

Because the property sits within Ditchling Conservation Area, the design needed to respond carefully to its setting.

The project demonstrates how a contemporary house extension can be appropriate in a conservation area where the design is considered, proportionate and clearly related to the existing building.

Relevant architect services

  • House extensions
  • Kitchen and dining extensions
  • Conservation area projects
  • Contemporary glass and steel extensions
  • Planning applications
  • Building regulations and technical design
  • Low-energy extension design

Discuss your extension project

Planning a house extension, kitchen extension or conservation area project?

Contact Nigel for an initial conversation.

Call: 01273 304 669
Mobile: 07734 391 742
Email: nigel@dalbyarchitecture.co.uk

Send an enquiry through the contact page.

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