Worth the wait

Kate and Craig's plans for a modest side extension morphed into a complete reconfiguration of the rear, inspired by a neighbour's new open-plan space

- KAREN WILSON

'Our first choice was a Shaker-style kitchen to suit the front of the house, but we couldn't find a colour we liked,' says Kate. 'Instead we picked more modern units for the colour, which morphed the direction of the whole design.' Integra Nova kitchen, sink and tap, all Magnet. Stools, Lakeland Furniture. Island pendant lights, John Lewis & Partners. Quartz work surfaces, Universal Granite. Appliances, ao.com and Appliances Direct

Patience has been a virtue for Kate and Craig Moorhouse, who have waited 15 years to create their dream ground-floor extension. After renting a Victorian terraced house in the bustling but pricey Manchester suburb of Chorlton, they moved five minutes away to the quieter enclave of Firswood, where they'd found an abundance of 1930s semis with driveways and gardens that would've fetched a premium where they used to live.

Their new home had scope for an ambitious remodel, but these plans went on the back burner with the arrival of son Herbie. However, in 2020, a side extension added space for an office, utility and toilet, while a rear extension provided the 'wow' with a Scandistyle open-plan kitchen, dining and living area. Kate and Craig explain how they pulled it off.

KATE SAYS…

‘After viewing around 20 properties, we whittled our shortlist down to two 1930s houses. Craig preferred the one decorated in the ‘80s and ‘90s that we nicknamed “new Sutherland”, while my favourite was the even more dated one with original carpets that we called “old Sutherland”. In the end we loved the quiet location of old Sutherland: it was cheaper and both houses would need updating anyway.