Illidge Green Farm is an impressive five bedroom period farmhouse in Cheshire, set within almost four acres of agricultural land. To transform the kitchen and dining areas, Julie Gerrard Architectural Design created a glazed extension to a period farmhouse in Cheshire, using ultra slim sliding glass doors and a fixed structural glass rooflight to maximise natural light and strengthen the connection to the surrounding landscape.
Project Partners
Architect: Julie Gerrard Architectural Design
Photo credits: Simon Murrell
Location
Cheshire
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Creating a Light Filled Glazed Extension to a Period Farmhouse
The design intent was to create a bright and open kitchen dining space that would become the social heart of the period farmhouse. The new extension needed to improve natural light, open views towards the surrounding area and create a stronger connection between the interior and the external patio.
For architects and private clients considering a glazed extension to a period farmhouse in Cheshire, Illidge Green Farm demonstrates how ultra slim framed sliding doors and structural glazing can be used to introduce a contemporary architectural intervention while still respecting the character of a traditional rural home. The glazing strategy was central to the success of the extension, helping to create a light, spacious and highly usable family living area.
Opening the Kitchen Dining Space to the Garden
One of the main challenges was to open up the kitchen dining area and create a more fluid relationship with the outside space. The client wanted enhanced indoor-outdoor living that reflected the agricultural setting of the farmhouse, with large glazed openings that could connect the new extension directly to the patio.
The glazing needed to provide generous access, strong visual connection and a minimal appearance. This meant the sliding door system had to combine large panes of glass with slim framing, allowing the new contemporary extension to feel open and transparent without introducing heavy visual interruption.
Introducing Overhead Light Without Compromising the Roof Design
A second challenge was how to bring daylight into the centre of the raised roof structure while maintaining a considered architectural ceiling design. The rooflight needed to provide natural light above the dining area, but it also had to work around the design requirement for a central lighting feature positioned above the table.
This required a more tailored glazing solution than a standard rooflight. The structural glass needed to create a roof well or lightwell effect, allowing daylight to enter the heart of the extension while preserving the visual focus of the space below.
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Slim Sliding Doors and Invisio® Structural Glazing for a Period Farmhouse Extension
The IQ Glass Northern team supplied a three-track sliding door system to the rear elevation, configured with two sliding panes and one fixed pane, alongside a one-track fixed glazing system to the side elevation with three fixed panes bonded with structural silicone joints. The two glazed elevations meet at a glass-to-glass corner, creating a clean architectural junction and allowing the glazed extension to a period farmhouse in Cheshire to feel open on both sides. With 21mm sightlines, oversized glass panes weighing approximately 125kg, and external glass fascia panels painted black at the head of the sliding doors, the glazing provides a precise, minimal and coordinated finish.
Above the dining area, IQ Glass supplied frameless effect Invisio® structural glazing to form the rooflight. Measuring approximately 3 metres by 1.5 metres overall, the rooflight uses fixed structural glass panes positioned vertically to create a roof well, bringing daylight into the centre of the extension while allowing the raised roof structure to house the drop lighting above the dining table. Together, the slim sliding doors and structural roof glazing show how a glazed extension to a period farmhouse can deliver natural light and contemporary detailing within a rural residential setting.
Technical Glazing Summary
- Three-track sliding door system to rear elevation, approximately 5356mm wide x 2441mm high with 2 sliding panes and 1 fixed pane.
- Approximate glass pane weight of 123kg per pane.
- One-track fixed glazing system to side elevation, comprising 3 fixed panes structurally bonded with silicone joints.
- Glass-to-glass corner formed between the sliding door elevation and fixed glazed side elevation.
- Frame finished in RAL 7016 matt with lever locking handle to match.
- Double glazed clear toughened safety glass units.
- Glass fascia panels, heat soak tested and back painted in RAL 9005 matt.
- Invisio® frameless effect fixed structural roof glazing, approximately 3000mm x 1543mm overall, formed from 4 fixed panes with double glazed clear toughened safety glass and laminated interlayer.
Speak to IQ Glass About a Glazed Extension to a Period Farmhouse
Illidge Green Farm demonstrates how a carefully detailed glazing package can transform a traditional farmhouse, creating a bright kitchen dining space with seamless access to the garden and a more contemporary relationship with the surrounding landscape. For architects, developers and private clients planning a glazed extension to a period farmhouse in Cheshire, early glazing input can help resolve openings, rooflight design, threshold detailing and performance requirements from the outset.
Speak to IQ Glass about slim sliding doors, structural roof glazing and bespoke architectural glazing for period homes, rural renovations and high-end farmhouse extensions.
