Architectural services

We produce creative design solutions for people that appreciate great home design.

We design practical well balanced layouts with pleasing aesthetics and clever use of light and space. We believe this approach, where good home design matters, makes for comfortable and stylish living.

Our clients are typically families who wish to live in an ideal home, whether built from scratch or created from the extension and alteration of their existing home.

Good design is a great investment.

Good architectural design on what is likely to be your greatest asset is a great investment. With a good design, your home will have a higher market value while creating a more functional and pleasurable living space.

Building can be a complicated and daunting prospect, with many design options, planning and building regulation restrictions and cost implications, with our vast experience and knowledge at your disposal, we can guide you through these processes and help translate your dreams into reality. We can pinpoint problems at an early stage and present you with creative solutions that you might never have considered. Our fees are set competitively and our design service will bring cost benefits.

“Space and Style Home Design gave us the extra space and the wow factor we wanted.”- Louise Middlemass, Isle of Wight

We listen to our clients and interpret their wishes and aspirations to create practical, functional and inspirational architectural designs that meet their needs.

We provide creative advice and guidance on all aspects of the project, producing easy to understand architectural drawings, plans and technical information. We undertake structural calculations and liaise with the local planning and building control authorities.

Questions and answers

With over three decades of designing extensions and great house transformation projects across the south of England, we know exactly what homeowners need to consider before work can commence. Below, you will find practical answers to some of the most frequently asked structural, financial, and planning questions.

How can I transform a disjointed ground floor layout into an open plan living space?

The most effective method of creating an open plan space involves combining small, segregated rooms like a small kitchen, dining room, and old conservatory into a singular, wider space stretching across the rear of the property. Removing internal walls and introducing structural steel supports allows for smooth flow and unobstructed garden views. For a more detailed answer, see our journal post four ways to achieve an open plan kitchen.

How much does a single-storey kitchen extension cost in 2026?

In the south, modern ground-floor kitchen extensions generally range from £2,000 to £3,500 per square metre, depending on the specification and design. A typical 30m² extension that is opened up to the original house will be between £80,000 and £140,000, excluding VAT, professional fees, and any high end internal finishes. The drop down menu on our contact page also gives indicative budgets costs for different projects.

What are the costs for remodelling a house layout versus extending?

Purely remodelling existing internal walls relies on smart spatial and structural design rather than massive additions, which keeps building costs significantly lower. However, most home transformation projects combine both, utilising a modest extension to unlock a sprawling, multi purpose social kitchen and living space. For example, our Reading project added a modest extension and saw the ground and first floor layouts reorganised.

How long does it take to get planning permission for an extension or house transformation?

A standard domestic planning application in the South of England typically takes 8 weeks for the local council to decide once submitted. However, the entire architectural process requires early planning, as complex or bespoke designs, neighbour objections, or local planning officer revisions can extend this timeline to 12 weeks or more. It is also worth noting that many residential transformations fall under Permitted Development rights, which do not require full planning permission at all.

Whilst planning permission is what most people talk about, if you are building an extension or carrying out alterations to the layout of your house, it is also likely that building regulation approval will be required.

What is the difference between planning permission and building regulation approval?

Planning permission considers how a building visually looks and its impact in on the neighbours, the street scene and the environment. Planning applications are decided by the local authority after consultation with neighbours and other interested parties.

Building regulations approval ensures among other things whether the structure and spaces created are safe, energy efficient, resistant to damp and structurally sound to inhabit. Building regulation applications are decided by professional Building Control surveyors without the public involvement.

For building regulation approval we are partnered with the The Building Control Partnership (BCP) which is Hampshire's largest local authority building control service. This partnership arrangement allows us to submit applications to BCP wherever the project is located.