Creative, Light-Filled Renovation and Loft Conversion

However, the possibility to expand into the eaves was a big attraction. “We asked an estate agent we had been in touch with whether they knew any good architects. Then the person they had suggested came and had a look at the house,” she adds. “We really liked him. He was thoroughly interested in the project and understood what we wanted to achieve.”

Browse: Find the right architect for your project

Although their initial plan was to rent elsewhere and start works immediately, the couple decided to stay put. “We changed our minds and lived in the house for nine long months,” says Judith. “It wasn’t a pleasant experience, but it was beneficial because we got to know the place.”

This was crucial in helping them make better decisions on some of the design elements as they slowly realised what they wanted to attain. However, they also didn’t expect it would take nine months to start works.

“Staying elsewhere throughout that period would have racked up hefty costs for rental and storage. In hindsight, it’s hard to see how this period could have been much shorter – we had to finalise plans with the architect and a structural engineer, plus find contractors and gain planning consent.”

Planning permission

Getting permission was time-consuming but straightforward because the property is not in a conservation area. In fact, their proposed plans would have easily qualified as permitted development. However, on the advice of their architect, the Mackenzies decided to apply for formal permission in order to avoid the risk of a dispute at any point in the future.

“It took over three months, but apart from making a change to one of the windows in the loft, there weren’t any real hiccups,” says Judith. “Our designer was very good: he masterminded the planning process and submitted all the paperwork needed to get approval.”

The couple then looked for a main building contractor, and met with 10 different people. They selected four who provided quotes and then ended up with a shortlist of two who were both similar on price.

“We picked JCJ as it came down to who we thought we’d be more comfortable working with,” says Judith. “We were drawn to their very positive, solution-focused attitude and the price transparency.

“For example, before the get-go we challenged JCJ and our architect to find various ways that we could reduce costs without compromising on design objectives. So they worked together to identify these areas, such as a change to the configuration of the office windows.”

Interior layout

The flow of the house was an important part of the brief. There had originally been an under-stairs WC, which needed to be relocated because it was simply too small and inconvenient for the family’s needs. There were a few different options for where it could go.

“We ended up moving it into the converted garage, which was a great solution that we might not have reached had we not been living in the house for so long before works started,” says Judith.

The kitchen space has also had a massive overhaul. It used to be three separate rooms – utility, kitchen and living areas, with a fireplace in the partition wall between the culinary and the living zones. The couple removed the chimney stack dividing the spaces and built two pillars for support to create the large kitchen-diner they have today.

Read more: Beautiful and practical kitchen extension ideas

The utility was subsequently moved into the garage and further room was created for a separate boiler room and pantry. “We also took out the bay window that had been in the living zone so that we could maximise the floor space available in there,” says Judith.

All of the internal areas have been well thought-out. “We have circuits within the house; you can go from the hall into the snug and from there into the kitchen-diner and out into the hall again,” says Judith.

The same concept has been executed upstairs in the master bedroom, which is linked to a dressing room and the spa-like ensuite. This creates a sense of flow, yet maintains distinctly separate zones.

The loft – a previously cold and uninsulated space – was given a new roof structure and tiles. The storey was beautifully transformed into a spacious bedroom with an ensuite for Judith and Struan’s son.

Smart technology

“We installed hotel-grade wifi and a wireless Sonos sound system with ceiling speakers in the kitchen and connected speakers in other rooms. It’s one of the things that we really enjoy about the house,” says Judith. “It was relatively easy to fit just because we were renovating everything.”

Good lighting was also essential to the project. “We had lived in previous homes with very poor illumination so we spent a lot of time standing in the spaces and thinking about how we wanted them to be lit,” she says. This really helped inform their decision to design windows and internal glazing to maximise the flow of sunshine.

They also opted to install downlights in the ceiling, and cabinet and floor lighting in the kitchen area, plus pendant fittings. “We’ve ended up with a big switch pad, but we wanted lots of different options,” says Judith.

Browse: Find the right smart technology products and suppliers for your home

The couple fitted radiators upstairs and underfloor heating (UFH) throughout the ground level. “This was actually one of our budget overruns, as we weren’t planning on installing this tech,” says Judith.

The couple had also assumed that they would use wood flooring; however, they kept gravitating to timbers of a lighter hue, which tend to be more expensive. “We found some light-coloured driftwood-effect porcelain tiles that we liked, but knew that they’d be too cold without UFH, so that made our minds up,” she explains.

So, how did they find taking on an extensive renovation and conversion? The Mackenzies agree that this kind of scheme can present big challenges, however, living in the “project house” first helped them achieve the dream home they had been looking for.