Country home

The Meadows is a contemporary take on the historic vernacular architecture of Litchfield County. Sited on a sloping lot with sweeping views of the rolling hills surrounding it and surrounded by native meadows down to the treeline, the familiar forms of the house are punctuated by large window openings and sharp clean lines that bring a modern sensibility to a historic barn typography. Amanda Kirkpatrick Amanda Kirkpatrick Amanda Kirkpatrick Amanda Kirkpatrick Amanda Kirkpatrick Amanda Kirkpatrick Amanda Kirkpatrick Amanda Kirkpatrick Amanda Kirkpatrick Amanda Kirkpatrick The interiors feature a cathedral-ceiling great room clad in white oak veneer panels and providing stunning views, partic... More

Tucked away within the picturesque landscape of Quebec’s Eastern Townships, Sutton House stands as a complete overhaul and extension of an early 20th century stone house. Originally built in 1908 and modestly expanded in the 1950s, the house had remained largely unaltered since. With its heavy walls, hulking geometry, and oversized chimneys it bore the characteristics of a smallish manor rather than a traditional country home. Inside, the small windows and the unusual layout made the space feel awkward and narrow, while outside, the mismatched stone walls were held together by a conspicuous grey cement mortar, which took away from the natural appeal of the stone.  James Brittain James Brittain James Brittain The b... More

Water farm is a modern off-grid family home by Studio Bark for London leavers moving back to the family farm. The Paragraph 84 house was designed to nurture the needs of a young family of five, with strong historic ties to the site and off-grid living. The result is a unique and functional five bedroom off-grid home. The home is on the edge of Dedham Vale National Landscape, and has been designed with sensitivity to local character. Many of the key design features were informed by traditional farmsteads and traditional timber frame buildings. Integrity is achieved using traditional, natural materials, and the form is logically inspired by the surrounding landscape. A heavy weight plinth defines the ground floor, contrasting with the sculptu... More

Casa Roverella is a villa created to embrace nature. The house is located in Puglia, halfway between Ostuni and Cisternino, in the Valle d'Itria, an area that inspired the entire project. The main intention was immediately to seek a dialogue with the natural elements present on the ground. A large oak tree gave the initial inspiration that led to the entire house being structured around it, making it the true protagonist of the project. Alex Reyto Alex Reyto Alex Reyto Every corner is designed to experience the spaces in continuity between inside and outside. The infinity pool makes you lose sight of the boundary between water and land, the outdoor spaces are livable in several places, allowing the house to continue to be w... More

This project entails the adaptation and extension of a heritage-listed flax threshing hut located in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps. The client brief required that the existing stone construction, dating back to the 18th century, be upgraded into a fully functional country home. In close dialogue with the local heritage authorities, a strategy was developed to keep the original building fabric as intact as possible while accommodating complementary functions in a new low-slung volume which at first glance is perceived as a separate and autonomous construction. Simone Bossi Simone Bossi Simone Bossi Simone Bossi Old and new building volumes are connected by a discrete transversal structure. The concept of a cluster o... More

Overlooking the Chilterns hills in the greenbelt, our clients’ dream was to transform a dated bungalow into a contemporary, industrial-style family home.  The Hide is a light-filled, 2 storey house with floor-to-ceiling glazing and an immersive connection to the countryside.  The Hide is a Finalist House of the Year in the British Homes Awards 2022, received the Berkhamsted Citizens’Environment Award and won BUILD’s Best Replacement Dwelling, South East Award.  Read more on The Hide’s design journey. Martin Gardener Martin Gardener The new house is designed to create an exciting experience as you walk through it. Having moved the property slightly away from the slope, one crosses a bridge to... More

The project of Patricia Martinez Architecture Office is inspired by antique stables and elucidates contemporaneity. Inspired by the atmosphere of country houses, the GFC project is located in Larissa Farm, on a plot of 2,300 square meters. The house has wooden roof tiles and is distributed in three blocks of building: two lateral stone blocks connected by pergolas to a textured central block. Fran Parente The 600 square meters house grabs attention due to the external walls made of ashlar stone and the ceiling made in Brazilian oakwood, also known as Tauari wood. “The brief was to create a contemporary aesthetic at the same time as an atmosphere of country houses, inspired by old stables”, explains Patricia Martinez, CEO... More

Re-a.d worked on renovating and designing an extension to the existing French country home, preserving its character in a contemporary approach. Also by adding a garage for the hobbyist, Re-a.d extended the use of the existing house. More

Jim Stephenson Jim Stephenson   Planning for this project was won under Paragraph 79, the Country House Clause, with a design taking inspiration from the surroundings.   The overall design is simple and clean. An elegant brick front complements the brickwork of the of garden wall and a discrete front door opening references the gate in the garden wall.   Further down, an oriel window breaks through, hinting at what is behind. Elsewhere, external surfaces are dark render, designed to recede visually in deference to the surrounding garden. Jim Stephenson Jim Stephenson Jim Stephenson   Tucked within, the house has a glass roofed courtyard at its center, a winter garden flooding light into th... More

Jim Stephenson Jim Stephenson   A radical approach was required for this converted barn sited in open countryside. The aim was to create a house that sat naturally in the landscape with the appearance of a traditional agricultural building.   The previously poor conversion required a new build. We used the salvaged stonework and added two new wings and a swimming pool. A new build meant the standard of construction and insulation would be of the very highest standard and had the added benefit of being zero rated for VAT. Jim Stephenson Jim Stephenson Jim Stephenson We had worked on the clients' London home and they were keen to have our design ideas for their new weekend and holiday house. The brief in... More

Will Scott Will Scott   A stone gable end is the first glimpse you get of this holiday home, with an industrial chimney, dark against the grey stone. We were asked to include some elements of a New England beach house, and so green oak boarding was used together with the local stone. The building is simple in form - a neat pitched volume coupled with a generous entrance porch. This porch provides a formal entrance as well as direct access to a large mud room for drying wetsuits from surfing and muddy boots from walking the costal paths. Will Scott Will Scott Will Scott   On entering, the hall opens up to a double height space with views of the garden. The main living space is open plan, with a separate... More

Jim Stephenson Jim Stephenson Jim Stephenson Our client always wanted to build a light-filled, modern home, using natural, timeless materials that seamlessly link indoor and outdoor spaces.   The house sits high, overlooking gardens and rolling countryside. The approach is via a causeway of granite slabs across a shallow pool, flanked by a 'floating' dining pavilion. A dry stone wall wraps around the building at the entrance courtyard. Jim Stephenson Jim Stephenson Jim Stephenson Jim Stephenson This home needed to be beautifully built, with a craftsman's eye and skill. On entering, the building reveals the surrounding countryside through walls of glass and here the house separates, leading on one s... More