At the same time, new county council guidelines appear to be encouraging a return to the architectural models of the 19th century, such as cluster-style developments and small hamlets of traditional-style houses.
But old cottage extensions in the vernacular can all too easily fall into the realms of pastiche, while adding on a modern wing can fall foul of planners and the heritage party-poopers. To the casual observer, it seems that sometimes you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
Architects say we should be bold, keeping the extension as distinct as possible from the original house. Philip Geoghegan, a practising architect and lecturer at the UCD School of Architecture, Landscape and Civil Engineering, has a particular interest in conservation. “We did a 1,000 sq ft extension to a 600 sq ft cottage a couple of years ago,” he says. “We persuaded the client not to be afraid to make a distinction between old and new, but made sure all the new stuff happened at the back. The cottage still looks like a cottage from the front, but from behind it looks like a contemporary building. You don’t have to damage what you already have, but older houses can be gloomy, so you may have to be a little brave in letting in more light.”
Geoghegan, who helps judge Europe-wide conservation awards, says he believes development is the key to conservation. “Looking through dossiers from all over Europe confirms to me that development is the way to do it,” he says. “If you look at large museums that have built extensions to house their collections, such as the National Gallery in Dublin, both parts have their own character. What you have to be careful about is how the junction between the two works, though there are some situations where you would say ‘hands off’.”
In the case of the architect John Dorman’s “zig-zag house” in Co Meath, development was definitely the way to go, as was making a distinction between the old and the new. The recently completed scheme is garnering plaudits from both the worlds of architecture and conservation. In the running for this year’s Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland award in the under-€400,000 category, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if the home of John and Camilla O ’Connell also makes off with the Ellison award, An Taisce’s Co Meath prize for good planning and design.
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Dorman’s efforts appear to have successfully navigated the choppy seas of conservation, managing to please himself, his client and heritage/architecture watchdogs in equal measure. The O’Connells have owned their home since 1999, but when their second child arrived, the 800 sq ft cottage needed more space.
“We had done some work on the cottage, doing it up a bit and putting in french doors between the two downstairs rooms,” says Camilla. “We always had it in mind to extend, but the new baby was the catalyst. While it was fine for the three of us, it was just too small for four.
“We had seen John’s work and liked it. We wanted something modern, as opposed to trying to make it look old. We had in mind about 1,000 sq ft of space, but it ended up much bigger.” The couple wanted a multipurpose living area with natural light at all times of the day and “a sense of seamlessness between the exterior and the interior”.
First, Dorman had a good look at the original cottage. “We went back to basics, stripping back to the original fabric and character of the cottage. There was an existing flat-roof extension that we decided to demolish, and we made that space the link between the existing dwelling and the new extension.”
Dorman came up with a series of buildings at right angles to each other to achieve the best possible orientations for each living space, and he persuaded the couple to build only one storey instead of two, because the site sloped up behind the original house.
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“All the bedrooms face east, while the main living rooms face south or west,” he says. “So while you have this light-filled modern dwelling on the one hand, the old cottage provides a cosy retreat.”
Camilla says: “We spend most of our time in the new part of the house and the old bit seems to have naturally taken on the role of guest accommodation.”
The O’Connells have continued the separation of the old and the new indoors. The bathroom in the extension, for example, has a large, modern shower, while in the original house there is a Victorian roll-top bath.
Dorman advises developers not to interfere with the fabric of the original building. “The structure should be allowed to creak and groan and breathe, like it is meant to do. A lot of people can’t resist stripping the render off houses to expose the stonework underneath, but if a house was rendered, it was probably for a good reason.”
Dorman also advises owners to repair and restore, rather than replace. “Old sash windows are usually restorable,” he says. “They may go a bit rotten at the sills, but even 100-year-old windows can be salvaged and restored.”
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The architect takes an eco-friendly approach to his work, but not fanatically. “I try to use materials that have not had to travel too far and I try to encourage clients to put in high- performance windows where possible to take advantage of solar energy.”
Of course, if you can’t be bothered to build your own extension, you can always buy someone else’s. On the market for €650,000 is Aoibhneas in Kilmacanogue, Co Wicklow.
This three-bedroom home looks like a worker’s cottage from the front, but the owners have added a large extension for an open-plan kitchen and dining area, with floor-to-ceiling windows, at the rear.
Bothy Cottage in Kentstown, Co Meath, has a picture-postcard granite and brick front, and glazed walls with stone and timber cladding at the rear. This six-bed is on sale for €850,000.
Aoibhneas, Sherry FitzGerald, 01 286 6630, www.sherryfitz.ie; Bothy Cottage, ReMax Royal County, 046 907 3737, www.remax-ireland.com
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Dos and Dont's
When extending a rural cottage: