It was the best thing to do for this stage in our lives. Each home we had fitted our circumstances at the time; no children to a growing busy family back to occasional family. We left our 5 bedroom Victorian town house with the typical large rooms which we had lived in for 20 years and the location we had been in for over 30 years We had created a small but beautiful walled garden and I had to travel by car to my allotment. Having decided to move we spent time sorting the house to make the best of marketing it. We went through all the boxes of photographs, (my three boys having a good giggle), threw the unnecessary or duplicate ones away, then sent them off to be put on CD. We kept the shoe box full of photos as well just in case..... I put all my boys school stuff into separate boxes and they had to decide what to do with it. One did not even look at it, one looked and then dumped and one selected a few bits he wanted. As a joint exercise it was a wonderful family time and trip down memory lane. We had several sweeps through our belongings. Each time it was obvious what was not needed. Items given away, sold donated or dumped. It also became easier each time to let go of the things we previously thought we wanted. Finally storage for some bits then we moved into a rented flat whilst we looked for our next property. By the time we found it, and with the process of moving most of what was in storage was not needed emotionally or physically either. We are now 300 miles away in a two bedroom cottage in the middle of a forest. We are renovating it and adapting it (not enlarging) as we go, in fact turning it into a one bedroom property but with flexible other rooms. We do have the advantage of a mezzanine bedroom holiday conversion attached which we are using whilst the work is happening. This small space living is focusing us even further. Financially we are much better off, I am creating the home of my dreams, we have entered a new welcoming community and a totally new way of life. Our boys love visiting. We have been here for 18 months and so glad we have done it. Cathartic, most definitely, happier certainly, the right thing for this stage of our lives yes.

Do you need lights? About fifteen years ago I looked around some three-storey award winning town-houses built near here. They were the best part of £1m back then. They had walnut stairs that had walls both sides so not much light. I stood at the top and it was difficult to see the individual steps. But the walnut looked stunning. Some years later when I replaced my own stairs I went for solid walnut but to improve visibility had a stainless-steel strip recessed into the front of each step. It makes it obvious where the steps are. Something like that might be cheaper than lighting as well.

Hello, HU, how interesting. The pictures really help. May I ask why the floor is so high? Do you have a cellar? or are you on a hill ? Is the garden flat or on a slope? You can ask you neighbours what is underneath? If it is that high you may loose a bit of garden.... Looking at your photo is your kitchen floor lower than the room next door ? If yes lower the floor for sure. It will lessen the gradient of possible steps. But it might be piping underneath just looking at the two pipes on the back ??? But if the wall is going to disappear it will not be an issue as the builders can divert them. But seeing what the neighbours have done I would say if you can afford it a glass box type extension. So that will allow a lot of light into the house and would not feel imposing. Garden storage, bikes etc could be underneath. If you choose to put your patio first then that is slightly lower than the extension. Or the same height then the steps or a slow sloping path will take away the idea of the steps. Have a look at terraced garden pictures, as you can plant to give the look of flattening the height so it looks like you are to create a garden journey. Your patio does not have to cover the whole width of the extension, it could be a semi-circle or an arc with the rest of the ares at that same height with plants and steps that gradually go down and around to flow into the garden. Any steps can be softened by using wood, sleepers... add plant pots to them to create the garden. Soften you garden with curves. If you have kids or not what an amazing height to make a built in slide ! I hope this helps at least start to conversation. But have fun designing.

Never seen a flexible downpipe before