The Epic Edinburgh Home Extension

James Rippon James Rippon
Queen's, Somner Macdonald Architects Somner Macdonald Architects الغرف
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Today, we're profiling a stunning remodel and extension project of a beautiful villa set among the Waverley Conservation Area in Edinburgh. The villa, which is fit for royalty, is aptly named 'Queen's', and was undertaken by Scottish architectural firmSomner Macdonald Architects, who have been at the forefront of modern British architecture for more than 20 years.

This project required the old extension built by the previous owners to be completely demolished, as the current owners felt it did no go far enough in terms of space and light. Therefore, the huge task begun to create a modern extension that would incorporate as much natural light and open plan living as possible.

Let us take you on a guided tour of this quaint Scottish villa with a modern twist.

Old meets new

From the back garden, the contrast between the existing brick home and the sleek modern extension is immediately evident. The Victorian era house, with white bay windows sitting atop the sleek grey of the extension, displays minimal floor-to-ceiling sliding doors that run the width of the house.

These bespoke glass doors are sure to attract as much natural light as possible, which was a core principal of this extension. Bridging the house to the garden is a small paved area, which invites the outdoors in and is a great place to soak up some summer sun.

Modern extension

As we move towards to the house, we can see the rear extension up close and see the detail in the new walls, glass doors and panels. Brutalism, an architectural theme that became popular in the post war era of the 1940s and 1950s, is characterised by dark colour schemes, repetitive shapes and often exposed building materials. 

This architectural movement has seen a revival in recent years, with many architects incorporating traditional brutalist characteristics into their sleek, modern designs. The use of rectangular forms for the walls, and the very brutalist colour scheme of brushed grey and black, creates a stark contrast to the interior of the house, which is a mix of warmer tones. 

The interior fit out was designed to accentuate the natural light, which pours in from those huge windows. The outdoor furniture also marries well with the extension, matching in colour and shape. To the side of the open plan living space is a small lounge that also connects to the garden via large, sliding glass doors.

Airy and light

Moving inside the house, with a view out into the back garden, we get a different perspective again. Here we are introduced to the large skylight, which hovers over the open air ground floor lounge and dining areas.

The beautiful and airy space allows us to bring the outdoors inside during summer and, due to the large skylight above, for the occupants to feel cosy and warm with no sacrifice of light during winter.

Open plan living

The timber breakfast benchtop sits beside the white stone worktop of the kitchen, almost looking like an extension of the kitchen itself. To the side there are also large frosted glass windows, allowing even more light in without sacrificing any privacy. To magnify the feeling of space, which was one of the core principles behind this renovation, the modern furnishings have all been pushed to one side of the ground floor.

Notice the sofa facing the wall? The TV has been hidden behind a flat cabinet so, when not in use, it can be closed. A principle in keeping with the neutral tones and minimal, sleek feel. As you move deeper into the house and away from the garden and skylight, downlights and beautiful black pendant kitchen lighting has been installed to ensure no corner is without maximum illumination.

Back garden beauty

With its lush green grass, plenty of space and play equipment, this is a great back garden for children. The large glass sliding doors allow parents to sit comfortably inside whilst being able to keep a watchful eye on playing young ones.

Enclosing the garden is high stone wall, framing the new renovation in the same style as the existing house.

For more British extension inspiration, don't miss: The Dynamite Home Extension.

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