isa goodfriendofmine,’saysLauren,‘andwethought
anoak-framedextensionwouldlookreallylovelywith
thestone.’Planningpermissionwasgrantedandwork
beganinDecember2016,withtheBorderOakframe
goingupinAugust,andjoinerandbuilderJames
Mackenziecompletingthecarpentry,flooringandroof.
Theextensionhasmadea hugedifferencetofamily
life.‘Welovethatit hassuchlargewindowssoit’sreally
light.It’sgreatallyearround,butespeciallyfabulous
inthesummertimewhenwecankeepthedoorsopen
ontothegarden,’saysLauren.‘Welovehaving friends
over,too– it’sa greatentertainingspace.’
Laurenwantedthefamilyroomtohavea freshand
simpleinterior,andhasusedherfavouritepaletteof
pinksandgreys,alongwithsomesubtlepatternsand
prints,tocreateaneclecticfeel.‘I liketomixtraditional
withmodernandlovea mixofoldandnew,’shesays.
‘Thehouseworksforusbecause,aswellasallthe
extraroomtheextensionhasbroughtus,there’sspace
onthetopfloorforfriendsandfamilytostaythenight,’
saysLauren.‘Wethinkthisis ourforeverhome.It
soundscorny,buttheladyweboughtit fromsaid
shecouldseeoneofourdaughtersgettingmarried
on the lawn here one day. She may well be right!’LivingroomLauren
hasaddedinteresttoa
neutralpalettewithsubtly
patternedcushionsand
aneye-catchingrug.
Cushionsand rug, all Oka