Period homes with stylish extensions are a growing trend in England, blending historic charm with contemporary design. Here are five unique properties currently on the market.
Bishop’s Castle, Shropshire
This three-bedroom, two-bathroom property consists of a period cottage with a new extension that offers far-reaching views of the Shropshire Hills national landscape. The extension is taller than the original house and features a slanted roof. It is white from the front, with tiles to complement the cottage, but timber-clad and modern from the back, with tall windows and glazed panels. Located on the edge of the market town of Bishop’s Castle, it is less than a mile from the local primary school and close to the Welsh border. Price: £695,000. Contact Strutt & Parker at 01584 778 225.
Canterbury, Kent
This unusual home spans four floors, combining a traditional Victorian red-brick house with a tower-like extension. The interior has been hollowed out with helter-skelter staircases, floating glass landing walkways in double-height spaces, and a curved kitchen. There are four bedrooms and a roof terrace, while the back garden is carefully planted and surrounded by mature trees. The property lies to the north-west of the cobbled streets of the city centre, with Canterbury West station just over 10 minutes’ walk away. Price: £1.225 million. Contact The Modern House at 020 3795 5920.
Orwell, Cambridgeshire
In a rural spot on a lane within the cluster of villages between Cambridge and Royston, this Victorian house features an industrial-style side extension. The entrance hall has oak-engineered flooring, with storage under the stairs and a cloakroom, along with a study and sitting room. Double doors from the family room open into the extension, which houses a vast kitchen-diner under a vaulted, pitched ceiling. The cabinetry is made from Norfolk oak, and the plot includes land for grazing or a paddock. Price: £1.15 million. Contact Cheffins at 01223 214 214.
Dottery, Dorset
A new extension runs along the back of this three-bedroom semi-detached house in a hamlet just north of Bridport and West Bay. The kitchen/living/dining room spans the full width of the ground floor, with bifold doors to the garden. Upstairs are three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The south-facing rear garden has decking, with a hot tub overlooking fields and hedgerows. Price: £650,000. Contact Symonds & Sampson at 01308 422 092.
Queen’s Park, London
Architects have used the original red Victorian bricks to create a large kitchen-diner at the back of this house. The bricks have been turned to form a geometric pattern, distinguishing the new house from the old under a slanted roof. The property is long and squeezes five bedrooms over three floors. There is a focus on quality materials, with large, double-glazed doors in a dark oak frame (with art deco references) leading from the hallway into the sitting room, featuring timber floorboards and underfloor heating. Price: £3.5 million. Contact Aucoot at 020 7112 4907.
