A fantastic way to gain extra living space, extending in oak frame is effortlessly charming and elegant. Take a look at these incredible ideas to inspire your own project
(Image credit: Prime Oak)
Building an extension in oak is an amazing opportunity to give instant character to a new space, while providing endless elegance to home that need extra space or those that lack in charm.
Suited for all types and styles of homes including period properties that need a sympathetic touch and more modern homes looking for an injection of craftsmanship and attention to detail. Plus, oak frame is inherently sustainable, making it one of the most sought-after building materials at the moment.
Scroll down to get inspired by innovative ideas, amazing designs and amazing build solutions from real life projects.
If the stunning extensions below get your creative juices flow, take the next step in your journey to find out how much this type of project costs and how to add to an existing home with our comprehensive guide to oak frame extensions.
While oak frame undoubtedly provides a characterful glimpse into the past, building an oak frame extension with a contemporary interior works incredibly well.
Here, a traditional shaker-style kitchen is modernised with statement pendant lights that draw the eye up to the exposed trusses and the open-plan connection to the extension house taps into modern family living effortlessly.
2. Add an Oak Sunroom Extension to an Existing House
(Image credit: Arboreta)
Oak frame sunrooms are amazing for letting in extra light and providing a stunning spot to relax and read a book in the sun.
Take a look at our guide on adding a sunroom to learn what you need to consider in terms of planning, costs and design.
3. Make a Wish-list for an Oak Extension
(Image credit: Tina Downham)
The design of your oak frame extension will hugely depend on how you will utilise the new space. Sitting down and creating a wish-list of features or an outline of what you want to achieve will go a long way in creating a great design brief so your architect or supplier can make the most of the extension.
The homeowner of this two-storey extension wanted a large master bedroom with views out across the countryside plot, while still in keeping with the cottage's period style.
4. Choose How Much Oak to Leave Exposed
(Image credit: Welsh Oak Frame)
When building an extension in oak, one element that will hugely impact the interiors is how much of the frame you choose to leave exposed. Generally, for a more modern look highlighting vaulted ceilings with the trusses showing but covering supporting posts is a great choice, while a more traditional style might leave the whole frame on display.
How much oak is left exposed will also have an impact on finances, so take care when deciding and factor this into your build costs.
5. Add an Two-storey Oak Extension for Real Wow-factor
(Image credit: Richard Keily)
A once-dated bungalow has been transformed with a two-storey extension supplied by Oakwrights. Extensive glazing cleverly modernises the exterior while delicate stone cladding make it look like it has always stood there.
6. Design a Sympathetic Extension to a Period House
(Image credit: Living oak)
Oak frame structures are often chosen to match existing period homes, timelessly adding to their existing charm, but attention to detail is absolutely key. Take time to match materials, architectural forms and historic quirks.
By choosing an oak frame structure, the homeowners of this Grade I-listed 16-century cottage were able to double the size of their property in a sustainable and natural way.
31 tonnes of oak supplied by Living Oak were used, while efforts to tie in the new addition with the existing house – by using a similar roof tile and brick stain – make this project undoubtedly special.
7. Connect to an Existing House with a Glazed Link
(Image credit: Simon Lay c/o Border Oak)
This Border Oak garden room has been connected to the main house with a glazed link. This adds a contemporary finish and extra natural light, while not disturbing the original house's structure too much.
8. Show off and Create Character
(Image credit: Simon Maxwell)
The original sections of this 17-century home were painstakingly restored while a contemporary full-glazed oak extension was added to allow as much of the original house to show through as possible.
9. Matching an Oak Extension to a Semi-detached House
(Image credit: Green Oak Carpentry)
While it might not seem to be a natural fit, adding an oak extension to a semi-detached house is absolutely possible. Inter- and post-war houses are often lacking in any identifiable charm so introducing a new timber section is an inspired choice.
This large kitchen extension was framed with oak, providing extra living space as well as some much sought-after character for this style of home.
10. Mix Traditional Exterior Styles with Contemporary Interiors
(Image credit: Jeremy Phillips)
Planning permission may dictate what the outside of an extension looks like, but you can be completely in control of the interiors to suit your own lifestyle.
For example. this two-storey oak extension was clad to match other traditional Lake District homes, including it's perpendicular farmhouse. The result is an extension which looks as if it has always stood there, but the open-plan interiors give away it's contemporary roots (show below).
Clad in weatherboarding, this oak-framed extension by Westwind Oak features large double-height glazed doors reminiscent of a converted barn opening in order to sit naturally alongside the established farmhouse-style building.
12. Single-storey Oak Frame Sunrooms Inject an Abundance of Character
(Image credit: Oakwrights)
Oakwrights’ GreenRoom designs are an effortless blend between contemporary and traditional styles. With a tiled roof and copious amounts of glazing, adding a sunroom creates a space which is naturally bright without the seasonal limitations of conservatories.
Vaulted ceilings are a wonderful feature in oak frame extension design, as this large addition proves. The large timber spans have been left exposed to really make an impact when contrasted to the other low-ceilings of the existing cottage.
The timeless appearance of oak is also beautifully paired with the modern pendant lights.
14. Extend in Oak During a Barn Conversion
(Image credit: Jeremy Phillips)
During the conversion two timber-framed barns, one had to be demolished over many weeks with each piece of timer logged and transported to Border Oak’s workshop. Some of the original timbers were salvageable and could be incorporated into the new frame which was then linked to the other using a glazed break.
Contemporary styling inside also beautifully highlights the character and charm of both buildings.
As beautiful as they may be, older homes are frequently plagued by warren-like layouts and small windows, so adding a complimentary oak framed structure with plenty of glazing can often be a sympathetic yet modern solution.
This Prime Oak extension includes an awe-inspiring glazed gable while french doors to the side elevation lead to the outdoor spaces.
16. Create a Three-storey Oak Extension
(Image credit: c/o Oakwrights)
When demolishing an 18th-century 'wing' to this Grade II-listed property which had become structurally unsound, Oakwrights design and built this magnificent three-storey extension.
17. Oak is a Natural Addition to a Traditional Cottage
(Image credit: Nikhilesh Haval c/o Welsh Oak Frame)
During an extensive renovation, this once run-down cottage was transformed with a single-storey side extension – designed by Welsh Oak Frame – to house a living and dining area (below) without detracting from the existing structure’s inherent character.
(Image credit: Nikhilesh Haval c/o Welsh Oak Frame)
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Amy is an interiors and renovation journalist. She is the former Assistant Editor of Homebuilding & Renovating, where she worked between 2018 and 2023. She has also been an editor for Independent Advisor, where she looked after homes content, including topics such as solar panels.
She has an interest in sustainable building methods and always has her eye on the latest design ideas. Amy has also interviewed countless self builders, renovators and extenders about their experiences.
She has renovated a mid-century home, together with her partner, on a DIY basis, undertaking tasks from fitting a kitchen to laying flooring. She is currently embarking on an energy-efficient overhaul of a 1800s cottage in Somerset.
