Side-Return Kitchen Extension

An Edwardian semi in Richmond where the side return had been doing nothing but collecting bins for eighty years.

Infilling it gave the kitchen another two and a half metres of width — enough for a full island with seating, a run of tall units and a separate utility cupboard off the hall. Two roof lights over the island bring daylight deep into the plan, which matters on a north-facing return.

Because the neighbours share the boundary wall, party wall agreements were served before we started and the work was sequenced to keep noise inside normal hours. The finished kitchen has been in use for two winters now with no movement at the junction between old and new.