Having explored various options for extending this Georgian house, Jonathan Rhind Architects achieved Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent for a garden room addition on the rear elevation opening out into the ornate garden. The house is located in a conservation area in a largely Georgian village in rural Somerset.

This splendid Queen Anne house is grade II* listed for its unique character. Built as a country pied-a’-terre (toe in the country) for an urban lady, the original building was appropriately sized with minimal rooms for staff and no service facilities as dinners would have been prepared off-site and brought to the house. The existing Victorian extension provides a compact kitchen, utility and pantry.

The clients required more space to seat and entertain family and guests and better link the house to the exterior landscaping. By adding to the rear of the property, the existing circulation space in the main historic parts of the house remain unaffected. The extension replaces part of the prosaic brick addition and flows from the kitchen to create a light and airy entertaining space. The sleek simple, glass and aluminium box style extension is a legibly contemporary intervention, is subservient to the grand historic building and adds to the historic narrative of the property. Slim profile sliding doors open out onto the terrace, improving the relationship of the house with the garden.

Jonathan Rhind Architects consulted extensively with both Historic England and the Conservation Officer to achieve a scheme that satisfied the clients’ needs while respecting the historic significance of the house. A careful focus on scale, detailing and materiality, has led to a design that contributes to the ongoing historical evolution of this beautiful family home.