Designing rear extension to minimize light being blocked into kitchen

Maximus_1 · 14-05-2025 01:19PM #1

Hi all. Considering a modest rear extension (about 4m x 4m) onto the rear of our home. The rear currently has a patio door (inside which is dining table) on the left side and a window on the right side of the kitchen/dining. Garden is south facing so gets sunshine during the day including into the kitchen. The extension will give us a bright space looking down the garden towards the West. Kinda opening up the garden and giving us a better view sitting in the proposed extension.

What I'm trying to get advice on is how to maximize the light that gets into the existing kitchen/diner via the extension. Are there any useful apps of software to guide with this?

I will engage the services of a professional here of course. Could someone recommend an architect or arch tech based in the west/north west?

Gumbo · 14-05-2025 01:32PM

roof lights.
glazed elevation.

Would need to see existing layout to advise more.

Maximus_1 · 14-05-2025 01:39PM

Will do a drawing on the layout and post later. Thanks 👍

oinkely · 14-05-2025 02:29PM

We built an extension on the rear of our house a few years ago. Similar set up to you by the sounds of it. Except our kitchen is north facing. Large patio doors with side lights and a window over the sink and two large velux in the lean to roof. That gets plenty of light into the old part of the kitchen. We left the inner roof profile matching the outer so our ceiling slopes from about 12 or 13 feet out to about 8 feet high. The higher ceiling near the join with the old part of the house also helped with the feeling of light. We also zoned the lighting with three separate areas with a lot of downlighters. If it feels dark in the old section in winter we can turn on only the lights in that area.

Maximus_1 · 14-05-2025 05:54PM

Thanks that Oinkely. Just trying to get ideas to minimize the amount of light that's blocked whilst having a good design that works as it's own space. Appreciate your feedback.