Private Client

Contemporary Cottage

This interior refurbishment clarified the layout of an existing two-storey cottage set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Set a world apart in the Wessex Downs of West Berkshire, our repeat clients wanted to convert a cramped existing cottage into a comfortable contemporary four-bedroom home that suited their lifestyle. As horse breeders and trainers who work in the adjoining rolling fields, their home needed to be a sanctuary within its natural setting.

The fact that it was in an AONB severely constrained what could be done to the exterior of the house. On the other hand, its isolation and southwestern aspect meant it enjoyed spectacular views.

Our design response sidestepped the site’s constraints by radically reconfiguring the cottage’s internal structure. This intervention facilitated everything that followed.

With the freedom to adjust the internal layout, we reorganised both floors around simple unifying corridors.

Ceiling-height doorways and sliding pocket doors on the ground floor give the impression of a free-flowing, open-plan living space without denying the option to close areas off. The downstairs toilet, utility room, and built-in storage of lacquered oak are treated as secondary spaces, easily accessible but neatly tucked away out of sight.

Strategically placed new windows bring daylight right into the heart of the home and frame views of the surrounding countryside, anchoring the building in its setting. The walls are finished in a dark colour palette that provides a blank canvas for the play of light and shadow.

An engineered feature staircase links to the first floor. The stair treads are multifaceted blades of white powder-coated steel cantilevered from the double-height stairwell wall. They rise from an asymmetrical timber podium that serves as seating, containing storage underneath. Daylight from above and elsewhere in the home casts an intriguing pattern of shadows, animating the hallway.

Name:
Contemporary Cottage
Client:
Private Client
Location:
UK
Status:
Completed
Sector:
Residential
Expertise:
Interiors
Team:
Alan DempseyKeti Carapuli
Photography:
Jim Stephenson
Collaborators:
Quantity Surveyor: Nex— Contractor: Allsop Property Solutions Interior Design: Nex— Structural Engineer: Nous Engineering