Opinions on extension aesthetics

Rosa_Damascena

On Sundays I look out for the weekly Ideal Home newsletter for home inspro. Some ideas are just barmy, but it's useful for picking up ideas. 

This week I was actually put off by an article indicating a design solution for a family in need of more space. There is no doubt that it will have cost a good sum from a family budget. Aside from the selective photography - which means we don't get to see the extension in its entirety - does anyone think this look like an old garden shed stuck into the rear of the property that partly obstructs the view from the upper floor? The exterior to me looks unsympathetic at best. 

twopenny

Yup. 
Someone near me did a large porch filling in the space at the front of an Edwardian house stained red cedar.
Sore thumb standing out. I keep thinking it may blend in but if anything looks more like a shed every day. Easier to remove on sale though.
I looked for shadows on your pic but it's been carefully photoshoped out to look lighter inside. The tree in the garden still has its shadow, the extension and front doesn't.

FreeBear

Rosa_Damascena said: - does anyone think this look like an old garden shed stuck into the rear of the property that partly obstructs the view from the upper floor? The exterior to me looks unsympathetic at best.

The asymmetric roof grates on me, and I don't really see the point of it. I like the idea of timber cladding, but not the burnt wood effect. Certainly better than steel cladding...

Doozergirl

I like it, but then we have Shou Sugi Ban on the front door elevation and bay window of our house, as well as our garden room.  

I do like the asymmetry for the fact it makes a more interesting interior, although you lose practical space, so I probably wouldn't choose it where space is at a premium.  

Construction is moving away from masonry building, so we can embrace different types of cladding without feeling that is is a compromise on quality.  

Doozergirl

FreeBear said:

Rosa_Damascena said: - does anyone think this look like an old garden shed stuck into the rear of the property that partly obstructs the view from the upper floor? The exterior to me looks unsympathetic at best.

The asymmetric roof grates on me, and I don't really see the point of it. I like the idea of timber cladding, but not the burnt wood effect. Certainly better than steel cladding...

It's the trying to turn an older house into something else that grates on me.  Plus red brick and tile really does clash with 'undercoat grey'. 

FreeBear

Doozergirl said:

FreeBear said:

Rosa_Damascena said: - does anyone think this look like an old garden shed stuck into the rear of the property that partly obstructs the view from the upper floor? The exterior to me looks unsympathetic at best.

The asymmetric roof grates on me, and I don't really see the point of it. I like the idea of timber cladding, but not the burnt wood effect. Certainly better than steel cladding...

It's the trying to turn an older house into something else that grates on me.  Plus red brick and tile really does clash with 'undercoat grey'. 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6838319/Couple-1920s-home-80-000-face-lift-painting-black-orange.html#v-8029841361112219982 for before & after shots, including the front elevation.

BUFF

Yeah, I wasn't sold on that one when I saw it on theTV show ... still if it works for them (& their neighbours).

As for the one in Ideal Home, again if it works internally for the owners that, to me, is more important.
Externally, I don't mind the colour or it's cladding (although up close not too keen on some of the textures caused by the burning process), less keen on the asymmetry but I understand why it was done. Any extension was going to limit the view from upper windows.

EssexExile

Doozergirl said: 'undercoat grey'. 

Grey is everywhere at the moment, I hate it. Almost all cars are grey - from light grey (white) to dark grey (black) and including sparkly grey (silver). Everyone is having grey windows, doors, fascia and soffits, no matter what the rest of the house looks like. We've just come back from a week in Wales, everything inside the house was grey.

Many years ago I wanted to respray my car, to get enough paint I just mixed everything I had in the garage together and my Ford Prefect ended up "undercoat grey". That was about 1970, I've always been a trendsetter.

twopenny

No one seems to look at colour that works together.
New builds here had orange brick and children charcoal grey windows. To me it's jarring and not pleasant.
When the colour goes out of fashion it's going to impact on the selling points imo.
A lot of new builds can be trendy and elegant at the same time. Saw some the other day. Was really surprised to see such a combination.

Rosa_Damascena

Doozergirl said:

FreeBear said:

Rosa_Damascena said: - does anyone think this look like an old garden shed stuck into the rear of the property that partly obstructs the view from the upper floor? The exterior to me looks unsympathetic at best.

The asymmetric roof grates on me, and I don't really see the point of it. I like the idea of timber cladding, but not the burnt wood effect. Certainly better than steel cladding...

It's the trying to turn an older house into something else that grates on me.  Plus red brick and tile really does clash with 'undercoat grey'. 

I'm sure this was on "Ugly House" - George Clarke was waxing on about how amazing it was. Although the owner seem to be doing a good job of project managing things whilst expecting a baby, I was not wild about the bold choice of window frames.

I'm in no position to criticise anyone's wish for more space, but I would not have paid an architect for that monstrosity. All it needed was an exterior in keeping with the rest of the property.

TELLIT01

It looks OK from inside, but does look like a garden shed when viewed from the garden.  Better than than corrugated steel monstrosity.