Side extension to a semi-detached Victorian villa by Benjamin Hale Architects. Photo by Pierce Scourfield.
Expanding your living space needn't always mean building into your rear garden. Side extensions offer a practical solution to gain extra floor space for many homes, especially when other options are limited.
This collection of high-quality, architect-designed side extension projects showcases innovative ideas for Georgian, Victorian, Interwar, Post-war homes, as well as rural cottages.
From bold, colourful additions to sympathetic extensions that blend seamlessly with period properties, each example demonstrates how thoughtful design can add valuable space while enhancing your home's existing architecture.
Photo by Peter Landers.
Chris Dyson Architects has designed a soot-washed brick side extension with a curved wall for a Georgian terraced house, formerly a nunnery, in the Wapping Pierhead conservation area in east London.
The brief was to replace an ageing two-storey extension with a new family living space that is more in keeping with the property's traditional 19th-century character.
Photo by Rory Gardiner.
London studio Will Gamble Architects has designed an extension for a Georgian house in a conservation area in Leicestershire, comprising of two distinct parts: a single-storey, solid oak framed glass structure and a two-storey brick addition that matches the original house.
The extension includes a modern kitchen, dining, and living space, along with an en-suite bedroom.
Photo by Ståle Eriksen.
White, minimalist living spaces are nestled within a raw exterior of rough brick walls and galvanised steel openings in this extension to a ground-floor flat in east London, designed by Studio Hallett Ike.
Located within a Georgian townhouse in De Beauvoir conservation area, London, the project includes a rear and side addition to enhance the flat's connection to its rear garden.
Photo by Dapple Photography.
WT Architecture restored a 200-year-old country manor and its long-neglected walled garden. The project involved renovating the Georgian fabric and adding a contemporary side extension with new living and ancillary spaces.
The brief was to adapt the manor for modern living while enhancing the building's performance. The design emphasised creating spacious social areas that seamlessly connect with the surrounding gardens.
Photo by Tim Crocker.
This Victorian terrace home, renovated and extended by Mustard Architects, features a concrete window seat, geometric tiles, and a storage wall made of plywood boxes.
Named Nook House, the project involves a simple brick side return extension, creating a more open-plan layout and improving the connection to the rear garden.
Photo by Pierce Scourfield.
Architecture firm Benjamin Hale Architects has designed two contemporary additions – a side extension constructed from light brick and a rear dormer extension clad in dark grey zinc – for an end of terrace Victorian home in south London.
The side return, a traditional feature of many Victorian terrace homes, offered the potential for more light and better access due to the end plot. The extension houses a modern kitchen, complete with oak cabinetry, pale terrazzo flooring, and a central island unit.
Photo by Jim Stephenson.
Oliver Leech Architects designed a wraparound side and rear extension to a Victorian terrace house in south London, featuring a four-metre-wide skylight that provides views of a wildflower planted roof.
Located in Herne Hill's Poet's Corner conservation area, the project seeks to preserve the building's character while improving its dark, disconnected interiors. The ground floor was expanded into an open plan living, dining, and kitchen space, connecting with the outside through the skylight and a window seat overlooking the garden.
Photo by Maris Mezulis.
Located in the Victoria Park Conservation Area, next to a Grade-II* church, architecture studio Matheson Whiteley designed a simple brick extension, combining traditional and contemporary elements.
The extension includes a workshop on the ground floor and an en-suite bedroom above, with the design informed by planning restrictions that allowed for a two-storey side addition, provided it remained subordinate to the existing house.
Photo by Kilian O'Sullivan.
Created for a young family, this side infill and rear extension to a semi-detached house in the De Beauvoir Conservation Area in London by Hayhurst & Co Architects integrates original and newly added living spaces, establishing a visual connection from the entrance through to a newly built studio at the end of the rear garden.
Previously consisting of small, separate rooms, with a narrow ‘servants' staircase linking the lower and upper ground floor living areas, the design opens up the interior and introduces a courtyard at the heart of the home.
Photo by Nick Dearden.
Urban Barn by Tuckey Design Studio is located on a former industrial site and is created from a former carpenter’s workshop, three garages, and a house at the centre. The design preserves many of the original architectural elements, enhancing them with new side additions that face the street.
Inside, the house features an open-plan layout, showcasing art and objects to create a gallery-like atmosphere.
Photo by Richard Chivers.
Located on Columbia Road in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, home to the renowned weekly flower market, this house was renovated by architects The DHaus Company. The brief was to upgrade the ground floor and add an extension that maximised the use of space and light at the rear of the property.
The redesign features an open-plan kitchen, living, and dining area, extending into a yard and enclosed by a curved side extension, which separates the house from the street, ensuring privacy.
Photo by Dapple Photography.
Loader Monteith extended a stone cottage in the Highlands with two new volumes clad in locally sourced black timber. The project features a new side extension, roof dormer, as well as a "retreat wing" at the rear, designed to maximise the connection to the landscape.
Located in the remote Cairngorms National Park, local planning laws restricted the size of the extensions to the original footprint of the cottage to ensure a balance between the new and existing structures.
Photo by Finn Beales.
The client wanted to extend their 17th-century Welsh longhouse on a remote hillside near Hay-on-Wye, doubling its size while preserving its charm and character. The solution by Nidus Architects was a single-storey L-shaped side extension that compliments the existing structure and surrounding agricultural buildings.
The extension uses locally sourced materials, including untreated larch, stone, and finishes from within 10 miles of the site.
Tyn Y Glog by Rural Office, located near Cwmystwyth in Ceredigion, is a 19th-century bwthyn (cottage) originally built by miners working in the nearby tin mines. The client’s family has owned it for over 40 years, and it now serves as both a holiday home and a place for retirement.
A modest side extension adds a new entrance hall, bathroom, and bedroom, designed to visually complement the original structure. The extension uses corrugated metal for both the roof and walls, drawing on local architectural traditions while introducing a sense of modernity.
Photo by Will Scott.
Mary Arnold-Forster Architects has transformed the former schoolmaster’s house in Scotland into a private residence by replacing a previous side extension with a slate-clad addition that complements yet contrasts with the original sandstone structure.
At ground floor level, the extension contains a utility space, bathroom, and study, all directly accessed from an open-plan living space in the existing building. Upstairs, there are two main bedrooms, while an additional study or guest room occupies the attic space of the extension.
This coastal farmhouse by Rural Office, set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the Gower Peninsula, South Wales, was extended to improve the ground-floor layout for family gatherings. Two modest extensions were added, one to the east as a guest wing, and the other to the west, housing a dining and sitting room next to the kitchen.
The new extensions, designed as distinct volumes, are intended to complement the original building while using contemporary detailing suited to the remote site.
Photo by Max Creasy.
The property, owned by the family since the 1970s, was adapted by Martin Edwards Architects to accommodate a wheelchair user. The design focused on maintaining the house's character while meeting the family’s needs, developed in collaboration with the client, family, and care team.
The existing outbuilding was retained and remodelled to create a dining room and kitchen, while a new side extension provides a bedroom and bathroom. Built with a timber frame and corrugated sheeting to complement the rural setting, the new windows offer views of Snowdonia, while high levels of insulation and under-floor heating improve comfort and energy efficiency.
Photo by Richard Chivers.
Set within a 1920s estate south of Cambridge, this semi-detached house was extended to the side by Sam Tisdall Architects to accommodate a new study room. The extension is clad in cedar boards and features an asymmetrical roof that follows the pitch of the original tile roof, while a corner glazed window overlooks the front garden.
At the rear, a reconfigured extension houses a kitchen, dining area, and two bathrooms, all finished with cedar and rooflights.
Photo by James Brittain.
Tuckey Design Studio has refurbished a 1930s semi-detached house in London, adding a dining room extension with a latticed wooden ceiling to improve the ground floor layout and connect the interior with the garden and park.
The owners wanted to open up the dark interior and create a dining room, separate from the open plan living areas, offering a formal space for family meals and gatherings.
Photo by French + Tye.
Architecture firm Studio on the Rye has added a Corten steel-clad two storey side extension to a 1950s terraced house in Peckham, London. The extension nearly doubles the size of the house, adding a kitchen, snug, utility room, and a bedroom with an ensuite and walk-in wardrobe on the upper floor.
The new addition aims to complement the existing redbrick terrace while introducing a modern design, featuring a gutterless pitched roof and Corten steel wrapped around the walls and roof.
Photo by French + Tye.
Brockley House, a 1950s corner house in Lewisham, has been transformed by Office S&M Architects for a young family. The renovation honours the home's mid-century origins through textured render, patterns, and tiled details while introducing a contemporary, functional layout.
The house had deteriorated and featured a confusing arrangement of small, dark rooms. Office S&M reimagined the space to prioritise comfort, flexibility, and sustainability, creating a bold, colourful home that blends modern living needs with the charm of its historical roots.
Photo by Lorenzo Zandri.
Artefact has added a pale blue and terracotta-hued rear extension to a 1950s home in south-west London, inspired by the warmth of the Caribbean. The extension, named Triangle House, creates a new wing with interconnected living spaces, enhancing the home's connection to its garden.
Large openings in the extension's facade and an expansive terrace strengthen the link between the house and its surroundings, providing a seamless flow between the interior and garden.
Photo by Tim Crocker.
Maccreanor Lavington, in collaboration with architect Kay Hughes, has designed a timber-framed extension to her terraced house at the edge of the Ravenswood estate in London. The extension merges contemporary design with the aesthetic of the 1960s estate, complementing the original architecture while creating a subtle modern addition.
At ground floor level, the extension accommodates a new living room while two bedrooms are provided above.
Photo by Andy Matthews.
Selencky Parsons has extended a 1960s end-of-terrace house in southeast London with two brick gables that decrease in size. The extension is designed to blend seamlessly with the existing terrace, featuring black zinc infill and a new boundary wall at both the front and rear.
Inside, the open-plan ground floor is divided into distinct zones for cooking, dining, and relaxing, with large openings connecting the interior to the garden. The first floor has been enhanced with a new bedroom and bathroom, improving the flow and adding floor space for the growing family.
Lipton Plant Architects (now merged with Corstorphine & Wright) added a small two-storey side extension to a 1970s house in Berkshire, featuring concrete slate-clad walls and roof, a concealed brick-patterned door, and bright orange windows.
Inside, the renovated home features a pastel-blue kitchen with a large garden-facing window, while a mezzanine level provides space for a study area, guest bedroom, and en-suite bathroom.
About the Author
Aron Coates is an architect with over two decades of experience, working on projects ranging from historic building restoration to contemporary home design.
