A stunning two-storey annex in Derbyshire

The homeowners of this impressive five-bedroom property in Derbyshire already had planning permission to remove a dated conservatory and turn it into a rear extension, but they also wanted to include a two-storey side extension into the project, and remove a disused garage which was doing nothing but holding boxes. They envisioned this extra space becoming its own annex, where someone would be able to live side by side the main house but still retain privacy. In order to properly understand what this annex would be, we included a set of 3D renders in with the design, showcasing what the end result would look like. Here’s how our architects tackled this stylish addition!

Two storey side extension

One of the main goals of this project was to secure added planning permission to remove one garage in favour of a more practical (and stylish) space. Our team of designers and planning agents worked closely together to secure this and obtained the green light to build an impressive two-storey side extension. Using this extra space, we were able to create a new annex onto the property. This new set of living quarters has everything a resident could want, including their own kitchen, dining and living room. A gym, which the whole household will no doubt enjoy, their own bathroom, and even a plant room. On the next floor of this annexe, we added in two extra bedrooms and their own private bathroom.

Modern, open-plan design

Often, when we think of annexes, we think of tired-looking granny flats. We wanted to get away from this outdated notion and create an annex that was both stylish and practical. This is perfectly captured in our plans for the downstairs living space. Here we kept the kitchen and living space open, and used broken-plan design to keep the spaces feeling distinct. A kitchen island helps square away the kitchen from the dining room, while we used a fireplace to create a snug and cosy section for the living room. We were even able to include a tucked away desk space, to squeeze extra practicality out of the layout, offering a spot for inspired creativity during those work from home days.

Contemporary touches

With a self-contained space, it’s important to avoid the room feeling cramped and dark. We used a lot of glass throughout the design to keep natural light streaming through the entire layout. Each door features Crittal style glazing, so no light is blocked off, and we kept the fireplace at half-level so the light from the living room could still pass into the kitchen. The end result is a light and bright space that feels 10x bigger as a result of the natural light coursing through the rooms.

Other slick design touches include a breakfast bar at the kitchen island, pendant lighting, plus the suggested touch of patterned tiles to add some character to the white walls. The overall effect is a gorgeous annex that couldn’t be further away from the granny flat stereotype!