Meadowbank
Rear extension and internal alterations · Saughall, near Chester
A contemporary rear extension brings light, space and the garden into everyday living. A generous kitchen and dining space gives this detached home a new focus overlooking its established garden.
Watch the Meadowbank project
As built | Black timber cladding and wide glazed openings define the new extension. External landscaping remains in progress.
Reimagining the ground floor
The original house had a separate kitchen and dining room, with a conservatory projecting into the garden.
The design replaces this arrangement with a broad, unified rear extension, bringing cooking, dining and gathering together in one space.
Before: the original rear elevation and conservatory.
As built | The kitchen island sits beneath the roof lantern, with wide views into the garden.
Space for everyday living
At 63.1 m² on the proposed plans, the new kitchen and dining area provides room for a substantial island, informal seating and a dining table. Moving these activities into the extension also creates opportunities within the original house: the former kitchen becomes a games room, while the former dining room is reconfigured as a media room. A separate lounge is retained, balancing the openness of the new space with quieter rooms elsewhere.
Daylight is central to the design. Wide glazed openings frame views of the garden, while an elongated roof lantern brings light into the centre of the room. Together, they help daylight reach beyond the external walls.
Externally, vertical black timber cladding gives the addition a distinctive character. The design specifies charred larch, with dark aluminium glazing and a crisp parapet edge. Its low, horizontal form allows the original house to remain clearly visible above.
Inside, dark kitchen cabinetry and a central island are balanced by timber accents, warm-toned seating and a pale tiled floor. The island creates a natural place to sit and spend time together.
Design visualisation | An earlier interior proposal exploring the roof lantern, kitchen and dining arrangement. Finishes differ from the as-built interior.
Developing the design
Reid Design Limited’s work included the existing and proposed drawing packages, design visualisations and detailed Building Regulations drawings. The visualisations explored appearance, materials and atmosphere, while the technical information developed the construction details needed to take the design forward.
The drawing package addresses the junction between the new roof and existing bays, alongside insulation, weatherproofing, cladding ventilation and drainage. A level-access threshold detail was developed to support an easy transition to future external finishes.
Care in the details
These details show how the extension meets the existing house and how careful construction detailing supports its clean external appearance.
1. Bay and flat roof junction. Integrating the new roof with the existing bay structure, with attention to support, insulation and weatherproofing.
2. Level threshold. Coordinating the door threshold, drainage and insulation to support an easy transition between kitchen and garden.
3. Parapet and door head. Bringing cladding, roof covering and glazing together to achieve the extension’s crisp roofline.
Design details reproduced at reduced size. Not to scale.
Meadowbank demonstrates how an extension can reshape the wider home. Bringing kitchen and dining together beside the garden, while giving existing rooms new purposes, creates a more connected setting for everyday life.