Know this first
Do not begin with the kitchen or colour palette. Start with structure, moisture, envelope and services. Once that foundation is understood, defining details can be retained and modern interventions integrated with restraint.
Answer from practiceRead the house before drawing it
1930s homes often derive their quality from proportion, masonry, sliding room dividers, stained glass and careful joinery. Yet their layouts and services reflect a different way of living. A good plan first identifies what is structural, valuable and vulnerable.
A building survey reveals cracking, moisture, floors, roof and earlier alterations. It prevents the design from colliding with hidden conditions later.
Resolve the invisible layer first
New finishes have little value when pipework, electricity or ventilation behind them are inadequate. Technical renewal should be coordinated with insulation, heating and the future use of each space.
Airtightness and insulation also belong together. Without controlled ventilation, an improved envelope can create new moisture problems.
Preservation is a design decision
Not every old element must remain, but whatever stays should be a convincing part of the new whole. Original doors, mouldings or stairs become stronger when new materials meet them quietly and precisely.
An early hierarchy—retain, repair, replace—prevents improvised decisions in every room and keeps the home readable as one story.
An extension should improve the existing home
More floor area adds value only when daylight, sightlines and movement improve. The connection between old and new needs careful thought around foundations, floor levels, thermal bridges and building services.
An integrated approach ensures the extension does not become technically detached. It feels like the home’s logical next layer rather than a later addition.
Character stays strong when the foundation is right.
The best renovation makes a home more comfortable and useful without erasing what made it special in the first place.