Renovation projects

Andrew and Mandy Lanham have added a large but sensitive extension to their 1930s home in order to make it more suitable for family life.

Colin and Heather Morgan have created a stunning contemporary home within the traditional stone shell of their 18th century Oxfordshire barn

Eager to escape hectic London life, Lindsay and Guy Mattinson found a rural haven on the Isle of Wight — two period stone barns, which they have lovingly converted into one high-volume, contemporary family home.

Caroline Bond spotted the potential in an unremarkable 1960s seaside home — then gutted and extended it to create a stunning New England-style beach house.

David Snell revisits Plotfinder Challengers Derek and Sue Moore to see the barn they found together, and converted into a new home. Sue and Derek purchased one half of a derelict granite cattle barn in 2002; the other half was purchased by their new neighbours. The couple wanted to retain the original granite façade on the gable end, while new neighbours Mike and Sarah preferred timber cladding. The couples “compromised” — opting for both.

Gary Kennedy and Nicola MacWilliam rolled up their sleeves to renovate their listed Georgian townhouse, creating eclectic, jewel-like interiors filled with artwork, fine antiques and other curios.

Tony Pithers and Gordon Craig have reinvented a ‘60s classic — transforming it into a home for the 21st century.

Nigel and Sandra Atherton have extended and remodelled an Edwardian cottage to make the most of its spectacular riverside setting.

It may look run of the mill at first glace, but the Victorian house of BBC Two's No Waste Like Home presenter Penney Poyzer and husband Gil Schalom is in fact a standard bearer for how to transform old houses into cutting-edge eco-friendly homes.

Jimmy and Mollie Armstrong took great pains to faithfully convert a redundant stone church, breathing new life into its interior - and then added on a groundbreaking, and downright unfaithful, timber extension.

Chris and Milla Gough-Willetts have achieved a fine balance between restoring period charm and maximising space in their Victorian home. When they moved into the property many of the interior period details were still intact, including plaster cornices and large window shutters.

With the aid of their architect son Andrew, a stunning oak extension has grown from James and Sandra McAvoy’s converted stone barn.

Paul and Monica Moult have been able to introduce significant efficiency improvements into their 1990s home.

In suburban Preston, Zoran Baros and Sandra Bilsborrow have transformed a 1910s bungalow into a contemporary classic including a combination of steel, stone and glazing that houses an interesting upside-down living arrangement.

Only a few exposed walls remained when Gareth and Lynn John stripped back a desolate cottage on the Isle of Skye to create a light, modern home. The house, a traditional one-and-a-half storey whitehouse croft, had been “messed around with over the years” as well as suffering quite dramatically from damp. It may have been a long way from what Gareth and Lynn originally had in mind, but the couple saw its potential.

Jonathan and Rivka Furbank have injected charm, sophistication and style into a quaint Victorian terrace. The young couple set to with energy and enthusiasm, doing all the work themselves, from knocking down walls to refurbishing every sash window. But the project would be a lengthy one and four years of DIY were not without their drawbacks.

Two contemporary extensions – a large single storey rear space and a new roof addition – have transformed Sue and Chris Baldock’s semi and created a whole new space that really bridges the gap between the indoors and the outdoors.

David and Carol Cross saw the potential in a derelict former grist mill and have turned it into a glorious family home. The couple had to do a lot of remedial work on the old barn, including underpinning the granite walls. But great views from the rear make it all worthwhile.

Bill and Connie Pack have artfully converted an unloved Dutch barn into a striking new home that enjoys light and space and yet is true to the building’s original form.

David and Elaine Badham started almost from scratch when they sympathetically renovated and extended a listed 17th century thatched cottage that had fallen into a terrible state of repair — paying meticulous attention to every detail.

Just a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace, and a short walk from Harrods and Harvey Nichols, Alan Waxman’s mews house nestles behind the only gated entrance in Belgravia. But while the property has a prestigious address, a well-appointed façade and a beautifully designed and ultra-luxurious interior, it didn’t always look this glamorous.

Jayne Blakeman and Tim Morrison have transformed a 1960s house into a stylish contemporary home that makes the most of its generous plot, combining cedar cladding and render on the exterior to make it look like a completely new property.

Overall Winner of the 2009 Homebuilding & Renovating Awards. Shaun Beverley was the only one to see potential in the shape and open plan of an ‘eyesore’ 1970s home in Lancashire. Plenty of DIY later, he has transformed it into a super-stylish contemporary retreat that gives more than a nod to its roots — leopard-print wallpaper and all.

Winner of Best Conversion in the 2009 Homebuilding & Renovating Awards. Irena Murray has extended and remodelled a former barn to create a light, flowing home. The new extension has turned the former smithy's into an L shaped home and additional rooflights and folding sliding doors flood the open plan space with light.

Winner of Best Remodel in the Homebuilding & Renovating Awards 2009. Cathie Curran has artfully remodelled and extended her London terrace, using rooflights, wooden flooring and built-in storage to make it spacious, stylish and sunny.

Chris and Michele Jones have dramatically lifted a dull 1960s house by extending upwards to add on a new storey, complete with a wraparound balcony and cedar-clad ‘drum'. The house also includes an integrated garden room and innovative use of brise soleil in the porch.

Max and Linda Nash spent a decade converting a small dilapidated cow barn in an idyllic setting, extending it to more than double its original size, and bringing in water and electricity from over half a mile away, to create a comfortable, baronial-style home.

Sally Onions and Ian Bottomley have painstakingly converted a listed Georgian church into a stunning home including the original stained glass windows.

Kate and Stephen Duncan have transformed a characterless converted 1880s coach house into a home full of rural charm by restoring the original features and using reclaimed materials.

Richard Stott and Heather Moffat have doubled the size of their renovated end-terrace cottage with a dramatic oak and glass extension. From the street the home looks very similar to the rest of the cottages, but the rear is surprisingly contemporary.