The Bothy, an imaginative re-development of an existing cottage, is situated in the Brickendon Conservation Area, which is part of the Green Belt. We have honoured the core elements of the current property whilst maximising the space and light available to our clients in the rear extension. We felt it was extremely important to retain the ‘cottagey’ character of the property, removing poorly conceived extensions and focusing on developing a nuanced duality between the twee and the adventurous.

To achieve this, we preserved traditional detailing such as the decorative timber work and the hanging clay tiles in the original quarters of the house to maintain its individuality. Conversely, there was reasonable creative license with the new back of the property, which includes a hidden ground floor. Because of the discrete position of this section, we were able to make especially inventive choices, such as the addition of patinated copper panels, which will be handwashed with acid by a specialist artisan, giving the property exterior a completely bespoke and inimitable feature.

One of the greatest challenges we faced with the redesign of this home was ensuring that the cottage portion of the home received adequate natural light. In order to achieve this, we chose to relocate the stairs leading to the first floor, opening the space up and exposing a large window on the upper landing. Through this subtle infrastructural alteration, the traditional quarters of the house are flooded with light, without losing its identity or mimicking its new counterpart. The brand new superspace to the rear incorporates kitchen, dining and living areas in an open plan, with a fire to maximise its cosiness in the cooler months.