One builder looked at their plans and wrote “build a box on the back”. Chris and Rowena wanted something very different. Six months after moving back into their finished home, they sat down with me to talk about how it turned out.

They had lived in their 1940s house for 15 years. It was built for the way people lived then, not for a family of four today. The kitchen hadn’t been touched since the 1970s, and the garden they loved felt completely shut off from the house.

In this conversation they talk openly about scaling the scheme back when the lending took longer than expected, and how we protected the heart of the project. They chose to keep the double pitched roof, and it’s now one of the things they love most. They also show the utility WC, where hidden drying cupboards mean a full load of washing is dry within a day, even when it’s pouring outside.

What stays with me most is how they live in the space now. Their daughter spreads her homework across the breakfast bar while Chris cooks, and their son builds on the rug in what they call the garden room. When friends came round for the first time, their first question was where the old house used to end.

If your home no longer works for the way your family lives, I hope this shows you what’s possible.

Livewell Architecture is a residential practice in West London. We work with families across London, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire to redesign and extend homes for modern family life.

🌐 www.livewellarchitecture.co.uk
📸 Instagram: @livewellarchitecture

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