This Grade II Listed timber framed residential property sits in a corner of a two-acre site in the main street of the north Essex village of Elmdon. There were no views of the garden from the house, as they were completely obscured by a converted 1970’s garage and grass banks. The client’s brief included a large sitting room extension with views of the garden. As the converted garage blocked the view, it was demolished and a replacement built in another part of the site. The site of the garage was used to build an oak-framed extension with a plain clay-tiled roof to house the large garden room. The oak frame was designed and erected by Carpenter Oak.
Extensive earth works and landscaping were needed to remove and re-shape the large grass banks which rose immediately behind the house. The landscape design was carried out by Julie Toll. The view of the garden is now open from the windows of the Garden Room and the existing Kitchen/Breakfast Room. During the refurbishment of the house, we took the opportunity to increase the pitch of one of the shallow gables to the rear of the property, which allowed us to provide an additional first-floor bedroom. A well, 140 ft deep, was discovered when the kitchen floor was being re-laid. It has been made safe and retained as a feature.
