Heather and Pete Dyson have doubled the size of their 1930s semi-detached house to create the ideal family home

WORDS VICTORIA JENKINS

PHOTOS FRASER MARR

Heather and Pete Dyson fell in love with a 1930s two bed semidetached house with ample character, including original period features such as tiled fireplaces, oak floorboards and interesting alcoves. It did not, however, offer the level of space they were looking for. Having been previously owned by a woman who had lived there for 60 years, it was rather on the dated side. Key areas that needed addressing were the small kitchen, the need for more bedrooms and bathrooms and a renovation that was more suited for modern living.

The house has effectively doubled in size, with the entrance now in the new part of the building to create a better layout downstairs

“We knew before buying that this was an extension project,” says Heather. “The kitchen was less than 5m2 - in fact, the whole house was small.” The couple engaged an architect, who drew up plans for a wrap-around 69m2 two-storey extension that would almost double the size of the property and make it fit for the Dysons’ lifestyle. Happy with the scheme, the designs were submitted to the council for permission; however, this process didn’t go smoothly.The Dysons’ neighbours were concerned that the design would block their natural light, which delayed the process. “We ended up amending the plans, but we’re actually glad we did because it meant a better layout,” says Heather.