Briar Lane
Our Briar Lane project is a striking example of how a carefully considered rear extension can transform a suburban home. KJC Architects have extended the back of the property to create a new open-plan living space that flows seamlessly from the existing house into the garden. The design emphasizes light, proportion, and connection with the outdoors: the new volume is composed with clean lines, natural materials, and generous glazing, balancing privacy with openness. Every element is chosen to enrich daily domestic life, especially the way the home now opens towards—and frames—the garden landscape.
A standout feature is the 7.5 metre eaves rooflight, supplied and installed by Maxlight, which runs along the length of the new extension. This deep rooflight floods the interior with natural light from above without compromising privacy or the sleek roofline. Because it is placed at the edge of the extension under the eaves, the rooflight creates a dramatic ribbon of daylight, bringing light deep into the living spaces whilst preserving a low, elegant external profile. It also helps draw the eye upward, making the space feel more expansive and connecting the internal volumes with the sky and open countryside beyond. Both the original extension and the new extension have been purposely painted in a darker colour to contrast with the existing house.
Complementing the rooflight, the extension features a picture-frame window looking out onto the garden. The framing is accentuated by a protruding oak surround, which gives the window itself a sculptural presence. From inside, the window becomes a “living picture” of the garden, its oak surround adding warmth and tactile contrast to the smooth glazing. From outside, this detail anchors the extension visually—highlighting the transition between solid and void, structure and light—in a way that beautifully frames the landscape while reinforcing the overall design cohesion of the Briar Lane project.
A standout feature is the 7.5 metre eaves rooflight, supplied and installed by Maxlight, which runs along the length of the new extension. This deep rooflight floods the interior with natural light from above without compromising privacy or the sleek roofline. Because it is placed at the edge of the extension under the eaves, the rooflight creates a dramatic ribbon of daylight, bringing light deep into the living spaces whilst preserving a low, elegant external profile. It also helps draw the eye upward, making the space feel more expansive and connecting the internal volumes with the sky and open countryside beyond. Both the original extension and the new extension have been purposely painted in a darker colour to contrast with the existing house.
Complementing the rooflight, the extension features a picture-frame window looking out onto the garden. The framing is accentuated by a protruding oak surround, which gives the window itself a sculptural presence. From inside, the window becomes a “living picture” of the garden, its oak surround adding warmth and tactile contrast to the smooth glazing. From outside, this detail anchors the extension visually—highlighting the transition between solid and void, structure and light—in a way that beautifully frames the landscape while reinforcing the overall design cohesion of the Briar Lane project.