From a series of small rooms to a light-filled, open-plan layout, this home has had a major makeover.

Space is the first thing that comes to mind when you step inside the revamped home of Lucy, a vet, and her wine merchant husband Bill. It’s hard to imagine, but before a series of walls were knocked through into a single space, the ground-floor used to be a warren of small rooms. Now you find a wonderfully big and bright kitchen-dining-living space that has become the hub of the home where the family cook, eat and relax together.

Lucy said: “Before, the rooms were cramped and dark. The old kitchen was tiny. I used to get extremely lonely cooking in the room I dubbed ‘the cave’ and we couldn’t hold a proper party! By knocking everything through we created a much bigger, modern kitchen, more light in the house and a new snug. We wanted to change how we lived and used the space.”

Lucy and Bill bought their home when their two children were babies. The location was ideal with a park literally around the corner. After 13 years, the family had outgrown the confines of their modern, semi-detached house in Dorset and needed more space. Instead of moving, the couple decided to stay put and remodel the property to accommodate the needs of their family, including pet cat and dog.

Their architect came up with the clever idea of expanding the living space by repositioning an integral garage and removing five interior walls between the kitchen, dining area, utility room and garage. The opened-up space was then flooded with natural light by installing new, glazed bifold doors overlooking the patio and garden. A large, fixed window was added to boost light levels.

The rebuilt garage was moved forwards on the drive and there’s a new side entrance to the house leading to a separate utility area – ideal for muddy boots and paws. Crucially, the family gained extra space without losing any of their relatively small back garden.

Lucy said: “We needed planning permission for the building work which we easily got by the architect talking through a few changes with the planning officer.”

Boxed-in steel beams on the kitchen-diner ceiling show where load bearing walls have been removed. However, if you look closer, you will see the exterior back wall has been retained while the front room and hall are all where they were before the makeover.

“We weren’t able to incorporate the steels into the ceiling because of cost, but I actually think it really works and adds character to the room. It could have looked like a warehouse otherwise,” said Lucy. The beams help create a broken plan effect – differentiating zones in the multifunctional space.  There is a slightly lower ceiling height in the TV den too, helping to create an intimate feel, perfect for relaxing. A woodburning stove adds real warmth.

With the rooms gutted, the couple had a blank canvas to design their dream kitchen. Their wish list included more work surfaces and storage space plus better views of the garden. After months of research, they opted for Howdens, the trade kitchen supplier. “We bought a huge new kitchen in the sale for under £10,000 and were really pleased with the service,” said Lucy.

Their beautiful, bespoke kitchen is designed around a large kitchen island with polished white quartz work top and navy-blue painted cabinets. The island unit with bar stools is a key feature. It’s the perfect place to eat and chat and includes whoever is preparing food in the kitchen. It also subtly divides the working kitchen from the living area. “We decided to go for a massive island and make it the real centrepiece,” explained Lucy.

The essential functions are positioned within easy reach of each other with the Smeg hob, Hisense American fridge freezer and large white Butler sink all neatly integrated into a wall of dove-grey, built-in units. The owners have managed to pack in lots of storage while keeping an open feel. A long row of cabinets, including a larder unit, extends along a back wall and provides plenty of display space.

The couple invested in the luxury quartz work tops and high-end appliances but cleverly saved money with bargain buys and Black Friday deals. Price-savvy purchases included timber-effect porcelain floor tiles from Wickes at £9 per square metre. “Bill is the bargain-hunter,” said Lucy proudly.

The décor is simple with white painted walls and vintage touches, like a Faversham wall clock, for a home that looks stylish but is family friendly too.

“We wanted it light and fresh – then jazzed it up with Laura Ashley patterned curtains, half price in the sale,” said Lucy. The sociable layout and cosy snug make it feel warm and welcoming.

The couple found their building contractor through word of mouth. “A friend whole-heartedly recommended Josh who runs Boorley Carpentry and Building Ltd. We cannot speak highly enough of the work he has done – we came in on time, on budget and it was a very happy build. He is absolutely brilliant.

Josh has used the same plumber and electrician for years. They know each other well and all have incredibly high standards. And, crucially, they turned up when they said they were going to.”  The family moved out during most of the building work which took 10 weeks. Total costs came to £50,000.

Lucy said: “We thought long and hard about this project for several years before employing an architect. We considered how we wanted to live and what each of us wanted from the conversion. I wanted a log burner and the rest of the family were desperate for the American fridge freezer and the extra space. Turns out our dog and cat adore the log burner too!

“Now we essentially all live in this one huge, open-plan room and it has brought us much closer as a family. Our house was so dated and now we’ve put our own stamp on it.”