milton architects

Classic 1960’s house transformed

Nighttime images of 1960's house with brick and white render. large modern extension with flat roof sections and large sliding doors opening the house to the terrace
Nighttime images of 1960's house with brick and white render. large modern extension with flat roof sections and large sliding doors opening the house to the terrace

All

Renew & Extend

0824 George Lane

A stylish and contemporary home in the centre of Marlborough, Wiltshire that celebrates its mid-century origins while affording comfortable and versatile accommodation fit for a modern family

1960's house with brick and white render. large modern extension with flat roof sections and large sliding doors opening the house to the terrace
Modern oak front door with wrap around porch to brick and render house

Context

Once written off as a forgettable decade of house building, the 1960s has enjoyed a reversal of fortunes in recent years, with a twenty-first-century re-evaluation of the space, light and versatility of some 60s and early-70s homes ranking them among the best subjects for refurbishment. This particular project transforms a well-located but unprepossessing house into a vibrant contemporary home perfect for a young family.

Large kitchen dining space with modern white kitchen units. the room has a large skylight flooding the space with sunlight.

Brief

It was clear that we needed to extend the accommodation to create an additional bedroom, as well as to open up and expand the living space into a more family friendly format. A kids’ den, separate from the rest of the living space was an essential component, as was a free-flowing kitchen-living-dining space that would shift the focus from the busy road at the front of the property to the wonderful riverside garden at the rear. It was also important to uprate the thermal efficiency of the house.

1960's house with brick and white render. large modern extension with flat roof sections and large sliding doors opening the house to the terrace
details of the underside of the wrap around porch showing the timber cladding
Images of dark grey windows set into a brick and white render house
1960's house with brick and white render. large modern extension with flat roof sections and large sliding doors opening the house to the terrace
1960's house with brick and white render . the house has a large wrap around porch with dark grey windows and oak front door. parking area to the front of the house

Challenges

In this case, the central challenge was to create an extended and refurbished home that would answer the requirement for more – and better-designed – living space, without sapping the house of its mid-century character. Our deliberations, therefore, included a careful consideration of those aspects that we wanted to preserve, together with a forensic analysis of how the new extension could not only provide a bigger footprint but how it could further enhance the property’s retro architectural appeal. The riverside location necessitated piled foundations – which extended the building schedule but was recouped due to the time-savings made by opting for timber-framed construction.

large open plan dining kitchen space. the skylight floods the area with light and the white walls and wooden floors make it very spacious
white sitting room with modern render fireplace, wooden floors and grand piano
open plan sitting area with large sliding doors to the garden beyond. a wood burning stove heats the room
Large kitchen dining space with modern white kitchen units. the room has a large skylight flooding the space with sunlight.

Outcomes

The new home cleverly updates the property’s original mid-century aesthetic with a contemporary extension that gives it a fresh sense of purpose. Naturally, the increased space has been welcome, but the flow has been improved, too, while the biggest gain probably lies in the reorientation of the home’s focus towards the glorious garden, which provides more opportunities for shared family life.

Bathroom with bath, tiles in natural stone with wooden bath sides. modern fish painting on the wall
Bedroom with stairs to the loft area. the room is filled with musical instruments a guitar and piano
Large open plan dining space with wooden table and chairs. the room has a large skylight flooding the space with sunlight and sliding doors to the garden
Large kitchen with modern white kitchen units. the room has a large glazed door flooding the space with sunlight.

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