Key Facts
The owners: Mike Finegan, a company director, and wife Helena, a librarian, live here with their youngest son Fionn, a student
The property: A five-bedroom detached house built in 1986 in Rathfarnham, Dublin
Costs
Building costs, including professional fees: £155,000
Total: £204,000
Mike and Helena Finegan decided to extend and reorientate the back of their property to maximise the light, make the most of the view, and to create an energy-efficient, contemporary kitchen extension.
Having gathered enough information, the couple presented a brief to six architects selected on the basis of their award-winning designs. ‘Each architect responded, but Garbhan Doran really understood what we wanted and met all our requirements,’ says Mike.
As the additional area of the kitchen extension was less than 40 square metres, it could be completed under permitted development rights. The foundations were excavated, the floor level lowered at the rear of the house, and the new kitchen extension built up incorporating steel supports and a huge amount of insulation.
See what the final result was, then check out more real home transformations and find out all you need to know about extending a house in our guide.
Bespoke iroko windows by Joseph McEnroe Joinery flood the new kitchen with light. A bench seat, also by Joseph McEnroe, adds a change of level, with pendant lamps from Hicken Lighting above. The stone tile flooring from Antica creates a cool, modern feel, with underfloor heating supplied by Green-House
Silestone worktops from Miller Brothers contrast perfectly with the white gloss Snaidero cabinets, supplied by Welchome. Boiling water tap, Quooker
The central island, with bar stools from Ikea, provides a spot for casual dining, while for more formal occasions, the couple use their existing table and chairs
The seating area is positioned to overlook the garden through the oversized sliding doors. For a similar corner sofa, try Sofa.com
Additional storage, including a cupboard-top wine rack, and a second utility sink prove handy. For a similar lime green toaster, try Sabichi
Sleek floor-to-ceiling Snaidero cupboards have been fitted with ovens by Miele as well as a built-in larder
More real home transformations:
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Terraced house design: 11 ideas to transform a Victorian propertyThese terraced house design ideas offer flexibility and variety. Get an idea of what can be achieved with our pick of amazing transformations
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10 traditional open plan room design ideasIf you love period properties and open plan living, be inspired to live life to the full – these homes offer the best of both worlds
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Real home: a redesigned power station penthouseDanielle Kingdon and Russell Dawkins gutted their top-floor flat in a converted power station to create a more practical layout for accessible living
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Real home: New York loft-style kitchen extensionJohn Boon and Susanna Frediani reconfigured their kitchen with industrial features to give it a New York loft style
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Real home: a traditional side return kitchen extensionNicola and Ed Legget updated their kitchen and extended to create a spacious dining area
