How we transformed a drab 1960s bungalow into a stylish family home

Celia and Keith McCarthy: ‘The planners could see there was no architectural merit in the old bungalow’ - John Lawrence

The deal was sealed for Celia and Keith McCarthy when the estate agent observed, “You’re not the people I see living here.” With the proverbial gauntlet laid down, the couple became all the more determined to do something “incredible” with this 1960s bungalow perched on a hillside above the historic city of Bath.

While there wasn’t much to recommend the four-bedroom bungalow, which lacked personality and had windows that pinched the breathtaking views, it did sit on a large footprint with plenty of outdoor space and had the advantage of being on a private road.

Celia and Keith could see it was brimming with potential, and that they wouldn’t need to demolish the building and start again. Instead, they could renovate within the boundaries with a couple of small extensions – something that would help exponentially when it came to planning permissions. “We had a strange affinity to the place immediately,” recalls Celia. “We didn’t know what it was about it, but we knew we loved the position and aspect and felt it was an interesting project. And we like challenges.”

A serendipitous connection

With the decision to buy made, Celia and Keith looked to appoint an architect. If ever there was a lesson in karma, the appointment of Chris Hawkins of Forgeworks is it. While the family were in their previous home, Celia had spotted a garden office design by Forgeworks that was similar to something she was planning in her own garden. She contacted the architects, who generously shared details with her. “They were so helpful, engaged and kind,” recalls Celia, “so when it came to doing this project, they were the obvious choice.”

For the brief, the couple shared “about 200 photos” of spaces they liked with Chris and were clear that they didn’t want a showy home, but rather something with personality that felt comfortable for themselves, their two children and their dog Clemmie. Keith was keen for the building to be clad in one consistent exterior material, and Celia wanted to improve the interior layout and create an open-plan kitchen-dining area. They were happy to retain four bedrooms and increase the two bathrooms to three with an extra cloakroom.

A cloak of cedar

“She was passionate about not demolishing the existing building, but retrofitting it,” says Chris. “Although it was dark, dim and poorly insulated, the bungalow had great fundamentals to work with. Its poor-quality architecture also made getting planning permission, in an area like Bath which is a world heritage site, an easier proposal.”

The key to gaining planning approval was the decision to wrap the existing façade in exterior insulation and a cloak of cedar shingle. Any materials that were removed were reused as hardcore for the building works. Even the gabions on the plant terraces leading up to the front door are backfilled with rubble, fronted by a prettier layer of ironstone.

The addition of a cedar shingle exterior was key in gaining planning approval in UNESCO-status Bath - Carmel King

A glimpse of the dining area from the outdoor terrace - Carmel King

“From the outset, the idea was to reduce the energy intensity of the project,” says Chris. Moreover, “The planners could see there was no architectural merit in the old bungalow. We argued that as long as we respected the existing footprint and site [with a master bedroom extension on one end and a new boot room space at the other end], the proposed new cladding could be considered a neutral impact in the conservation area, or even a benefit.”

The plans went through relatively smoothly (after some biodiversity questions about the local bat population). “The house wouldn’t be what it’s turned out to be without the cedar shingle exterior,” says Celia, “but the labour cost to cut and attach each individual sheet was very expensive. It felt like nailing £10 notes to the outside of the house.”

Letting in light

While the walls of triple-glazed glass, which offer jaw-dropping vistas across the valley, were pivotal in transforming the dark bungalow’s atmosphere, Forgeworks wanted to draw that drama throughout the property. “We positioned skylights to aid ventilation and vaulted the ceiling, like a cathedral, through the middle of the building,” explains Chris. “At 4.5m high, it is impressive and unexpected.”

“The entrance now has a cosy, enveloping welcome,” says Celia, “but when you step inside, you discover the drama as you turn and look down this double-height hallway.”

The hallway was previously dark, dim and cramped - Carmel King

After vaulting the ceilings to 4.5m high, Celia and Keith created cathedral-like drama in the hallway - Carmel King

A family kitchen

The kitchen is long, with a soaring ceiling and a dining area at one end, with a vintage dining table from Rag and Bone in Bristol and new and vintage Ercol stacking chairs. It’s an impressive space, but not necessarily an easy one to fit a kitchen into. Celia designed the oak cabinetry herself, working alongside local joinery company King and Webbon.

The island was kept slim to suit the room’s proportions. “It works well,” says Celia, “and with people circulating through the kitchen constantly, the island separates the cooking side from the eating side.” The colour scheme is pared back, with walls varnished in a breathable plaster that absorbs moisture and slowly releases it back into the air. The terrazzo used for the worktops, from Bristol Marble and Granite, inspired the other colour choices in the room: the cooker hood is painted in “Temple” by Paint & Paper Library, and the doorways in “Monkey Puzzle” by Farrow & Ball. The wide kitchen windows open directly onto the new terrace that wraps around the front of the house, with garden furniture from Hay.

The space blends beautifully into its natural surroundings - Carmel King

Relaxed living

The bungalow has two living spaces. Off the kitchen is the snug, painted in a soft green tone to match the terrazzo marble next door, and furnished with a sofa by Designers Guild (re-covered in a Designers Guild copper-coloured velvet), a leather armchair from La Redoute and blackout blinds, perfect for when the family gather to watch films.

The “grown-up” living room is the showstopper. With its 3.5m-wide west-facing windows, oak floors and timbered ceiling, it is a room to compete with any television screen. Celia made the tiles in the original fireplace herself – “a real labour of love” – and chose a Mags sofa from Hay, an armchair from Ferm Living and a rug from A Rum Fellow. “It’s a lovely room to sit and watch the weather roll in from the west,” she says.

Golden hour: the living room windows are west facing - Carmel King

The large 3.5m-wide windows rival even the biggest of TV screens - Carmel King

A layout of two halves

Forgeworks reoriented the bungalow’s original front door to the side of the house, creating a small entrance area which opens to reveal the corridor with its soundproofed panelling, painted in “Yellow Pink” by Little Greene. The living spaces open off one side, and the bedrooms off the other.

Thanks to the depth created by the external insulation layers, the regular-sized bedroom windows appear recessed and take on a framed quality. “They work well in a bungalow as you don’t feel exposed, even though the bedrooms are on ground level,” adds Celia.

In addition to installing soundproof panelling in the hallway, Celia chose to paint the doors “Yellow Pink” by Little Greene

The floating wall in the main bedroom conceals the dressing area behind - Carmel King

The sloping ceiling created challenges when it came to designing the main bedroom, so Celia positioned the bed centrally and built a floating wall, painted in “Red Earth” by Farrow & Ball, which acts as a bedhead and also conceals a dressing area behind. The en-suite bathroom has a basin by Abi Interiors and shower walls in pink encaustic tiles from Mandarin Stone.

The children’s bedrooms are mirror images of each other, with bespoke fitted wardrobes and desk cabinetry in colours of their choice. Their shared bathroom has hard-wearing encaustic-style porcelain floor tiles from Maria Starling and wall tiles by Claybrook Studio.

The children chose their own cabinetry colours in their rooms - Carmel King

bungalow transformation

The children’s shared bathroom has hard-wearing encaustic-style porcelain floor tiles from Maria Starling and wall tiles by Claybrook Studio - Carmel King

Time to reflect

When Celia and Keith moved in, the terraces were still a scaffolding site, and the colour palette was in an experimental stage – at one point the yellow hallway was painted black. With the alteration of the old garage into a studio and landscaped terraces taking root, the family began to settle. One year on, they have enjoyed the house and its views through all four seasons. “We’re now adept at reading the weather before it arrives,” says Celia. “In this house, you really feel like you are living within the environment.”

What was previously a garage is now a studio - French & Tye

Celia’s tips for managing a renovation

Renovations are exhausting, but it’s important to keep your eye on the vision. Make sure the look and feel you want is embedded into the design from an early stage.

Mood boards can be useful to help keep you on track, especially when you are under pressure to make quick decisions.

As costs go up, it is tempting to forfeit some ideas. Work out what are the non-negotiables in the design and stick to them. We have a concrete floating bench that almost didn’t get included, but now I’m so glad it was.

Put thought into your kitchen design. For instance, this might be controversial, but I don’t like a sink or hob on an island. People gravitate to islands, and no one wants to look at washing up in the sink. An island is great for food prep, but keep the messier work behind you.

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