Rear extension, Beckenham

Opening up the heart of the home

This rear extension in Beckenham transformed a previously separate kitchen into a large, light-filled kitchen and dining space that runs the full width of the rear of the property. The brief was clear: open it up, bring in as much light as possible, and create a space that connects properly with the garden.

The existing kitchen wall was removed and replaced with a structural steel, opening the ground floor into a single open-plan living space. Large aluminium bi-fold doors span the rear elevation, folding away completely to blur the boundary between inside and out during the warmer months.

The standout feature of this project is the triangular skylight. Designed and positioned at an angle into the zinc roof, it floods the dining area with natural light from above at a point where a standard flat rooflight wouldn't have worked architecturally. The result is a dramatic focal point that gives the room a character most extensions don't have.

The roof finish is standing seam zinc, a premium, long-life material that weathers beautifully over time and gives the extension a sharp, contemporary profile against the existing brickwork. The exterior walls are finished in brick to match the existing house, keeping the extension looking like a natural part of the building rather than an afterthought bolted on the back.

Underfloor heating runs throughout the extension, providing efficient, even warmth across the tiled floor with no radiators to interrupt the clean lines of the space. The whole project was managed by us from planning through to final handover, including the structural engineering, building regulations approval, and all internal works.