This local family planned for a new house in a busy village. Moving from a rather compact and characterful cottage that was somewhat isolated in the countryside the brief was developed to create a home that would be modern but have an in-built character to the spaces, inside and out.

The site had a poor quality and rapidly degrading bungalow set to the side to two historic barns. These barns provided the catalyst for the proposal; the levels allowed for an intimate and sheltered south facing courtyard to be formed allowing the key primary spaces to wrap around it creating defined edges. Every part of the accommodation references some element of the garden spaces encapsulating long distance views beyond in some instances and in other areas referring to the historic courtyard or kitchen garden.

Stepping into this finished house the feel of that little family cottage the clients came from is still there – the people make the place, but we’re so pleased to have worked on the canvas for them to paint.