Once upon a time it was a cottage. Now this Cambridge charmer is a grown-up version of its former self. The 47sqm extension has enabled this house to spread its wings, with a laundry, bathroom, separate toilet and main bedroom ensuite contained within the revamped look. It helped that the client is an interior designer: somebody who wanted to retain the home’s character while giving it the new lease of life it needed. That’s why you’ll see a dedicated effort to tie the old with the new by reusing existing materials. Take a look at the recycled butcher’s block table standing proud as an island unit in the kitchen as one illustration of this approach. You’ll see such touches throughout the house. Running down the hallway from the main entrance are extra patterned ceiling sheets. Those internal doors have been here before, in other places. Additional doors have come from a demolition yard, as have the leadlights in the powder room. Concessions to modernity lie in new double-glazed timber joinery throughout the house. There’s a ducted underfloor heating and cooling system and upgraded insulation. And because all grown-ups like to entertain, a portico provides a gorgeous all-weather space.