A house in Stableford
This mid-twentieth century house in the Staffordshire countryside required a reworking of its relationship with the surrounding gardens and the agricultural landscape beyond.
The client initially wished to demolish the building and to build a new house on the land. However, through conversations around sustainable design and the potential held within the existing building, a thorough retrofit was instead conceived and constructed.
The project removed dilapidated elements, refurbished interior rooms and, through considered additions, established new ways of looking upon and entering the gardens. To the south, a garden room for their grandchildren to play within was built. Formed of timber-clad columns, referencing an original open veranda, the austere painted façade is conceived as a canvas to be painted daily by the shadows of the overhanging trees. The columns are partially infilled with large, timber-framed windows and sliding doors to allow natural light into the depth of the house and to afford views to the fields beyond.
The garden room’s interior is then flanked by two covered external spaces, providing a middle-ground between inside and out, within which to sit, play and dine throughout the year. These rooms are then raised onto a plinth clad with locally sourced clay pavers.
To the north-west corner, a two-storey extension was built comprising additional living space and a large second bathroom.
