Modern Makeovers: Extending and Remodeling Vernacular Homes

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With property values rising across the globe, many people have been opting out of hapless house hunting, instead staying put and looking to improve their existing properties. This incentive and a growing demand for contemporary design in personal homes is transforming the traditional home and apartment vernacular.

This transformation has also brought about a change in architects’ past perceptions of extension work as a lesser job than new-build projects. The recent boom in modern extensions and remodeling of traditional abodes has created new opportunities for architects to practice their creativity under site-specific circumstances.

Shepherds Bush Extension by Studio 30 Architects, London, United Kingdom

The Shepherds Bush extension increased the size of the kitchen and created a master bedroom in an old Victorian home in London. The large windows brought more light into the space and reconnected the home to the surrounding nature.

GRACE HILLby *MULTIPLICITIES, Hudson, N.Y., United States

The Grace Hill home adds an extension and windows to an existing 1820s guesthouse on a 12-acre property in Hudson, New York. The extension opens the home to views of the Hudson River valley while letting in more light and creating additional outdoor living space.

pöt – Single Family Home by gerner°gerner plus, Pöttelsdorf, Austria

The pöt extension connects two existing structures from 1867 to create a single-family home and a private interior courtyard. The extension is a sharp, modern contrast to the existing traditional structures.

Hawthbush Extension by Mole Architects, Sussex Downs, United Kingdom

A modern extension to a 17th-century farmhouse creates a spacious, open kitchen and dining area with great views across the surrounding landscape. It was important for the clients that the extension respected the original house but also had a clean modern feel.

Extension to a House in Chavilleby CUT architectures, Paris, France

This 1920s remodeled home has a modern concrete extension that creates a covered parking place below and an open, light-filled space for the owner to practice cello.

Restoration and extension of a house in Rubalcaba by riaño + arquitectos, El Astillero, Spain

The main home is over 100 years old, and was kept because it is a key part of this historic town. The two modern extensions connect to the main home with bridges to preserve the integrity of the original building.

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