This 1930s detached house, situated in beautiful and extensive mature gardens, is located in an area of special local character. The house had been added to in piecemeal fashion and suffered from dated accommodation, amenities and services. It was dark and cold with little connection, either physical or visual, between the main living rooms and the wonderful garden beyond. Our design solution removed the single storey extensions and garage, and added a substantial double storey side and rear extension under a new inhabited roof. Light was brought into the heart of the house by an open gallery at the first floor level. The generous circulation spaces on the 3 levels were linked together with a curved sculptural staircase. The extensive new living accommodation was linked to the garden through glazed doors, which enabled our clients to open the house up to wide landscaped patios and the garden. The thermal performance of the house was improved with new insulated floors and internal wall insulation. Cost effective and sustainable thermal measures included solar thermal panels feeding a new heating system and underfloor heating at ground floor level.