Posted on March 24, 2020 by datchetman

The north side of the house is dramatically changed.

Most impacted, there is now a double aspect kitchen and breakfast area – maybe 35 feet long, stretching from front to back. We figure this is the room which we shall spend most time in and is central to the whole concept. It opens onto the flat access level, rear patios via very huge doors. The kitchen came from demolishing the old sewing room at the front, then extending out the back.

Next thing that changes the back of the property is that this north wing also doubles the size of the dining room. We figure this next empty nest phase may include some very much larger groups for dining, so it makes sense. It did though come out a larger than expected. The 10-12 seat dining table still looks lost in there.

This gear change made the architect go for three en-suite double bedrooms plus two smaller bedrooms (now an office and a dressing room). Much more useful to have three double en-suite bedrooms for visitors. The bathrooms are fabulous, by the way. There its enough space in the west wing to give bedroom 2 its own new dressing room.

Tour – Stairs from Hall to the Landing

Posted on March 24, 2020 by datchetman

One of the lovely new features is the oak and glass staircase leading from the entrance hall to the upstairs landing. This was custom made by a local joiner in Staplehurst called Glade Joinery. A super job it is too.

The overwhelming thing about all this is the oak feel to everything. The landing at the top of the stairs used to be very dark but now has a glazed door from “the office” letting light in.

You might notice that there are tiny little safety lights along some of the stair treads going up the stairs – this was the electrician’s favourite feature!

This used to be the old airing cupboard. The new water tank is much larger and that mass of pipes is to control the new upstairs heating – each radiator has its own zone and each room its own thermostat – all computer controlled from the iPhone! We may yet have to find a clever way to vent this cupboard though.