Important Features to Consider in Your Home Extension

*This is a collaborative post

Having a home extension is an exciting process where you can design your perfect living environment. Most extensions to the rear of the house involve changing your kitchen area, which is the busiest room of most households. You can change your kitchen space from being a small, closed space, to an open, bright area of your home just by adding some key features! Whilst having an extension can be challenging, designing your dream space doesn’t need to be. 

First up, its worth stating that at the moment, there are some price increases in the face of covid, Brexit and other logistical challenges, so it’s worth fully investigating the financials before you commit, as the last thing you need is an unexpected bill at the end. Things may end up costing more than you expect, and if you are doing additional borrowing on your mortgage to fund an extension, you need the facts upfront. It is also recommended you build in a buffer as things on builds can change quite quickly. When it comes to furnishing your extension, don’t forget to make the most of interest free credit options, particularly when it comes to white goods, or consider pay weekly electricals to help spread the cost. Do your own research, and find out works best for you and your own finances.

You will need to consider how much natural light you would like in your new extension. Although fashionable and well-lit, having a glass extension is much more expensive than if you chose to have a typical extension with plenty of skylights and windows. Skylights are a great way to bring more light into your extension, with downward natural light only being achievable in areas of the home with one level. Place skylights over the main areas of your kitchen, including your sink area and countertops where you will prepare your food, to ensure you have good lighting in important spaces!

You need to consider how you want your space to feel, as you can influence the ambience of the room with its structural layout. If you want to create a cosy space, which is perfect for cuddling up in after a long day, then you may want to have a broken plan layout. This means that you break up your space into separate rooms instead of creating an open-plan space. An open-plan space creates a brighter, more active ambience, where it is easier to move quickly around the space and socialise with others. Whichever way you want your extension to feel, decide early in the extension process so you can design it to your tastes. 

Another important consideration is the colour scheme for your home extension. Simply Extend has seen extensions decorated in every colour, including bright yellow and dark blue. A great way to incorporate a splash of colour into your kitchen extension is through your splashback. You can have a stylish pattern, a mirrored panel, or a plain coloured backdrop to steal people’s attention and add colour into the room if you have opted for a pale wall paint colour scheme. Be creative! You can also have colourful artwork hanging up on internal walls for added colour too!

Finally, an important feature to consider in your home extension will be your external door. This will be the way your extension connects with your garden space, and is often not greatly considered, despite having a big effect on the new space. If you enjoy your privacy and don’t want nosy neighbours being able to see into your home, French doors may be better suited for you. Bifold and sliding doors offer lots of natural light, but with this comes less privacy. Make sure you think about which door option you prefer in the design process, as it can make a lot of difference when your build is complete!