House Extensions In London: Ideas that Expand Your Living Space

Brad Smith
Written By Brad Smith

London is a dynamic city where every inch of space matters. Often when your family grows or your lifestyle changes your house may start to feel a bit snug. But, instead of shifting to a new home, the right solution lies in extending your current house. It’s possible if you have the best house extension ideas. House extensions not only give you more space but also upgrade what you already have. 

This blog talks about everything from small house extensions in London that modify how people use their homes to incredibly modern pieces that expand your house instantly. 

Check out the practical and innovative house extension ideas in the heart of London.

house extensions in london ideas that expand your living space

Out of the box House Extension Ideas in London

On the hunt for the next innovative house extension idea? Check out how you can transform your home and its value.

1. Living Room Extension

One clever move when there’s an additional room right next to your living room is to extend it by breaking down the wall. When the existing room opens up, the entire living space expands. The underused rooms, such as cloakrooms or utility rooms can be opened up.

living room extension

2. Use Lightwell to transform a dark basement

There’s a scope to transform a dim basement into a bright and airy one by adding a small glazed extension. Also, consider making it an open layout into a sunken courtyard and adding a stair that connects to the garden path. Furthermore, add more colorful furniture into this space to bring more elements and accents.

3. Add a porch

When your home’s front door directly opens into the living room, choosing a porch extension can do wonders in growing your space. Besides, you can think of adding a porch if there’s a small hallway in front of the main door.

4. Create a hallway between the garage and the home

It’s advantageous to build connections between different areas of your property, such as constructing a covered walkway linking the garage and home space. If any hurdle comes in between the planning process, try to make a glazed walkway. On the other hand, adding glass doors or windows into the walkway can enlarge the entire frame.

5. Add a bay window

Adding a projecting bay window extension can expand a room. There’s no need here for any foundation work, and it can be easily accomplished. Moreover, windows are a good source of light and increase the flow of natural light into your house, giving a spacious feel.

6. Create an orangery

To form a harmonious blend between an extension and a conservatory, think of adding an orangery. A sturdy roof and solid walls with a glazed lantern are a good idea. It gives better insulation than a traditional conservatory, mainly for temperature control.

7. Add glass to the ceiling

Instead of choosing an entire solid or opaque ceiling, try adding a strip of glass on one side. It gives your room an airy ambiance and is an affordable affair. The glass ceiling gives a skylight appearance and extends the room’s space with a natural light.

8. Use oak to create a frame

Installing oak frames, which are highly functional and traditional, extends your home into a single room with a pitched roof and vaulted ceiling. With this unique setup, you can host evenings permitting guests to enjoy both outdoor and indoor ambiance.

9. Transform the Garage Space

Unique ideas can come at any time of the day. One among them is transforming your integrated garage space into a living space. Yes, that’s trendy! Try adding a small kitchen and bar into this space. Besides, constructing stairs heading up to the home’s front shows aesthetics.

10. Add a conservatory

There comes a lot of stress with applying for permissions. So, adding a lean-to-conservatory is a great idea to expand your home. You get to make some additional space in your living room.

11. Create a glazed extension

Glazed extensions, which glaze the rear or side return extension, are now in trend. It helps light to reflect and permit more influx of natural light. With this, there is an improvement in the illumination and form impression of a more expansive space.

12. Add a home extension at the rear

If you need a little space to take care of your utilities, you can consider using the rear of the property to add an extension. It can be used as a larger kitchen space, an extra bathroom, or a laundry room.

The Average Cost for House Extensions in London

Before getting a home extension, one of the prime factors to consider is the cost. Since extensions include not just remodeling current spaces but also forming a new space, the budget can go from mid to high costs, mainly on the need. The cost of house extensions in London depends on the space that you extend and the design. A minimum expense of USD 60,000-70,000 can be expected by owners for basic elements like kitchen or bathroom. This budget may cost roughly 50 square meters for an extension. Bathrooms are among the cheaper options in home extensions as the need is only plumbing, material, tiles, sanitary ware, or electricity. 

Final Words

Any extension you consider adding, from a glass to a bay window, can give your house a new shape and add value. Consult an expert to check how you can modify your current house with home extensions in a cost-friendly way. The ideas for home extensions in London are a launchpad for your imagination. DIY is a great choice to tackle tiny space issues. But, if you plan to extend your main house, familiarize yourself with setting regulations and get planning permissions for further developments. These are some ideas to get you started if you’re an interior designer aiming to add functionality to a client’s home. Whether you’re dealing with an open plan or need to stick to some home extension ideas, these ideas can serve as a good base.

smith brad omni

Written by Brad Smith

CEO & Lead Interior Designer

Brad Smith is an experienced interior designer and the founder of OmniHomeIdeas.com. With a Master's degree in Interior Design from Pratt Institute and a passion for creating safe and healthy living spaces, Brad shares his expert insights and innovative design ideas with our readers. His work is driven by the belief that home is where every story begins.