This 1940s Raheny home was extended and refurbished to create extra space and give it an energy upgrade

The owners of this semi-detached Raheny home moved in five years ago, and wanted to renovate and extend to accommodate the needs of their growing family, and so turned to Jim Lawler of MeltedSnow Architects.

Originally constructed in the 1940s, the ground floor consisted of a modest kitchen, dining and living room with a garage to the side, while upstairs there were three bedrooms and a bathroom.

The layout did not work well for the family’s needs, and as Jim explains, “it was undersized for the family’s requirements. The location of the existing kitchen in particular placed an undesirable hindrance on the design potential to the rear.

The existing house was in need of upgrading, refurbishment and modernization and there was a lack of storage space.”

The clients wanted to create a broken plan kitchen and dining area, with a separate lounge area which was located in a split level facing the garden. “It was also important to maintain the front living room as a separate retreat space for relaxing evenings,” Jim explains, while “the existing garage was upgraded to provide storage space with a new utility room and WC.”

The plan also involved converting the attic to create a home office with WC, which required a dormer roof extension to the rear and side. In addition to this, a deep retrofit to make the home as energy efficient as possible included new windows, insulation, and an air source heat pump and underfloor heating installed by Churchfield Home Services.

To accommodate this design, a pre-existing extension to the rear was demolished and a new single storey flat roof extension was built in its place. “It was designed in a contemporary idiom and provided a dynamic contrast to the main house,” Jim explains. 

“The idea was to design a villa-style extension which created a calm, peaceful and spacious living environment. The garden was an important element in considering the back of the extension and the proposal was to design two distinct areas with the kitchen at upper level and the new lounge at lower level. Both spaces face the garden and take advantage of the view and southern aspect.”

Although a relatively large project, Jim says that they did not encounter any issues, and praised builders Ballyfarna Construction who worked on the home.

The finishing touches come from a carefully selected palette of materials. “The extension facing the garden is finished in white brick, terrazzo tile and smooth plaster render and black framed sliding doors,” Jim says. 

“Inside, the homeowners wanted a neutral earthy palette for the kitchen dining space in order to keep it bright and maximise the light coming in from the garden. A dark chestnut pink was used in the front living room to create a warmer atmosphere for cosy evenings.”

The result is a bright, open space that’s perfectly suited to its owners, from spaces to gather family, to a great view of the garden.