Houzz Tour: An Ultra-modern House That Reaches for the Light
After 20 years of living in a Grade II listed home, one couple decided a dramatic change was in order...
When architect John Dyer Grimes received a phone call about a ramshackle house on a plot of land in Surrey, he could never have imagined the ambitious plans the new owners had in store for the site. With their teenage children about to fly the nest, the couple had decided they were tired of maintaining their beautiful Grade II listed home and were ready to embrace a dramatic change.
‘They explained they’d always dreamed of building an ultra-modern house, but when they were first thinking of doing it 20 years ago, there was a lot less contemporary architecture around, and the time didn’t seem right,’ says John. ‘Now they were finding their heritage home a huge drain on their time and resources, so they wanted to do an about-turn and create a super-sustainable house with all mod cons.’
The sloping site was long and narrow and surrounded by trees, posing a number of challenges for the architect. ‘There was already a prefab bungalow on the site, which we immediately demolished,’ explains John. ‘But the main challenge was in thinking about how to approach the layout of the new house. We wanted to make the most of the available light, but the strip of land was very narrow and completely shaded on one side by trees.’
John’s futuristic design tore up the rule book, pushing the east side of the house right up against the trees. Storage space and utility rooms were placed at the back, allowing him to open up the front of the house – which included the living room, kitchen and dining areas – to as much natural light as possible.
‘The couple wanted the new house to be the polar opposite of their old place, and they certainly got what they asked for,’ says John. ‘A conventional property would never have worked on this site – it’s so narrow and shaded. This contemporary, cantilevered design draws the surrounding landscape into the house and maximises views from the first floor looking out to the rolling countryside.’
The award-winning house is now completed and is a masterpiece in clean, ergonomic living. It has even provided the couple with an unexpected new stream of revenue. ‘Its striking design caught the eye of a number of music video producers and film-makers,’ says John, ‘so the couple now run a film location business from the house.’
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here A couple whose children have just left home
Location Surrey
Year built 2012
Architect John Dyer Grimes at Dyer Grimes Architecture
Size 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms
That’s interesting The house won The Sunday Times British Homes Awards 2013 – Best Family Home
‘They explained they’d always dreamed of building an ultra-modern house, but when they were first thinking of doing it 20 years ago, there was a lot less contemporary architecture around, and the time didn’t seem right,’ says John. ‘Now they were finding their heritage home a huge drain on their time and resources, so they wanted to do an about-turn and create a super-sustainable house with all mod cons.’
The sloping site was long and narrow and surrounded by trees, posing a number of challenges for the architect. ‘There was already a prefab bungalow on the site, which we immediately demolished,’ explains John. ‘But the main challenge was in thinking about how to approach the layout of the new house. We wanted to make the most of the available light, but the strip of land was very narrow and completely shaded on one side by trees.’
John’s futuristic design tore up the rule book, pushing the east side of the house right up against the trees. Storage space and utility rooms were placed at the back, allowing him to open up the front of the house – which included the living room, kitchen and dining areas – to as much natural light as possible.
‘The couple wanted the new house to be the polar opposite of their old place, and they certainly got what they asked for,’ says John. ‘A conventional property would never have worked on this site – it’s so narrow and shaded. This contemporary, cantilevered design draws the surrounding landscape into the house and maximises views from the first floor looking out to the rolling countryside.’
The award-winning house is now completed and is a masterpiece in clean, ergonomic living. It has even provided the couple with an unexpected new stream of revenue. ‘Its striking design caught the eye of a number of music video producers and film-makers,’ says John, ‘so the couple now run a film location business from the house.’
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here A couple whose children have just left home
Location Surrey
Year built 2012
Architect John Dyer Grimes at Dyer Grimes Architecture
Size 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms
That’s interesting The house won The Sunday Times British Homes Awards 2013 – Best Family Home
The cantilevered overhang houses the couple’s master bedroom, but serves a practical purpose as well. ‘We created the overhang to act as a canopy, so the family can sit outside underneath it and enjoy views of the pool even when it’s raining,’ says John. The futuristic canopy appears to float in midair, while the outdoor space underneath feels sheltered and enclosed from the elements.
Timber screens on the upper floor – made from sustainably sourced wood approved by the Forest Stewardship Council – have been treated to prevent fading in the sunlight and help retain the rich colour of the timber. John opted for wood to soften the otherwise white facade. ‘The window frames are bronze, which works really well with the white walls and timber screens,’ he says. ‘The screens can be used to shield the living space from the sun, but their main purpose is to articulate the architecture of the facade and make it more interesting.’
Rendering, Sto.
Rendering, Sto.
‘In architectural terms, we’ve created something more solid upstairs to emphasise the sense it’s hovering above the floor-to-ceiling windows downstairs,’ explains John. The communal living areas downstairs have been opened up to as much light as possible.
Glazing, IQ Glass.
Glazing, IQ Glass.
John introduced sliding walls into the living area to make the space as flexible as possible. The open-plan room is perfect for entertaining, but the couple can also slide a door across to create a snug living room for a quiet evening in.
The internal sliding walls are designed to disappear into concealed pockets so they are invisible when they’re not in use.
‘We introduced lighting inside and out to add a whole other layer of depth to the property,’ says John, commenting on the colourful LED lighting in the ceiling recess. ‘The coloured bulbs are on various different settings, so at the touch of a button you can alter the lighting to suit your mood.’
‘We introduced lighting inside and out to add a whole other layer of depth to the property,’ says John, commenting on the colourful LED lighting in the ceiling recess. ‘The coloured bulbs are on various different settings, so at the touch of a button you can alter the lighting to suit your mood.’
The cantilevered staircase appears to float gently down from the floor-to-ceiling window on the landing upstairs, and is cleverly supported by a metal spine and glass balustrade. ‘We tried to keep the structure as minimal as possible to avoid the staircase overwhelming the space. When you walk through the front door, it really does appear to just hover in the air,’ says John.
10 steps to a smarter staircase
10 steps to a smarter staircase
Walnut stair treads were chosen for the wonderfully gnarly appearance of the wood, and the warmth of the timber’s grain. ‘We’ve used a fairly limited palette of materials throughout, which we’ve tied together in a coherent way,’ John explains.
Timber stair treads and flooring, The Ultimate Flooring.
Timber stair treads and flooring, The Ultimate Flooring.
The long, expansive island in the kitchen area also features walnut panelling, referencing the staircase and flooring elsewhere in the house. ‘We wanted to keep it as minimal as possible, so we’ve created a whole wall of built-in storage against the back wall of the kitchen,’ explains John. ‘This sort of exposed contemporary design wouldn’t work without storage to keep it looking clean and uncluttered.’
10 reasons to work a kitchen island into your scheme
10 reasons to work a kitchen island into your scheme
The owners enjoy entertaining when they can, and found the small room layout in their former heritage home fairly restrictive. ‘This house was very much designed as a party house for family and friends to gather in, and the open-plan layout facilitates this very effectively,’ says John.
Joinery, Chamber Furniture.
Joinery, Chamber Furniture.
Bespoke benches around the kitchen island provide ample seating for relaxed suppers and family gatherings. ‘The couple are really enjoying the house,’ says John. ‘In their old home, they had an Aga and everyone was literally squashed around a tiny table in the corner of the kitchen for informal dinners. They found it a very old-fashioned way of living, which explains why they were so keen to embrace a totally different way of life.’
Bespoke bar stools, R&R Joinery.
Bespoke bar stools, R&R Joinery.
Elegant stone worktops enhance the clean, sleek lines in the kitchen and are easy to maintain.
Underneath the staircase, John designed a separate area for the couple’s grown-up sons, comprising bedrooms and a hang-out space. ‘One’s at university and the other is on a gap year, but when they are at home they have their own, independent space,’ he says.
Much like the cantilevered overhang that houses the master bedroom, the couple’s bed appears to hover over the walnut timber floor.
John’s passion for cantilevered design is greatly influenced by the work of Le Corbusier and his Villa Savoye in Poissy, France. ‘I love beautifully designed objects, and it’s even better if you can live in them,’ he explains.
John’s passion for cantilevered design is greatly influenced by the work of Le Corbusier and his Villa Savoye in Poissy, France. ‘I love beautifully designed objects, and it’s even better if you can live in them,’ he explains.
Warm copper tones in the en-suite bathroom echo the bronze window casings on the exterior of the house.
Underfloor heating in this room, and elsewhere in the house, is powered by a combination of an air source pump, solar hot-water panels and an energy-efficient gas boiler.
Underfloor heating in this room, and elsewhere in the house, is powered by a combination of an air source pump, solar hot-water panels and an energy-efficient gas boiler.
The floor plan of the property and the grounds illustrates the unusual long shape of the site, which posed a challenge for the architect.
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Enjoy more inspiring Houzz Tours
TELL US…
What did you like about this house? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
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Enjoy more inspiring Houzz Tours
Swimming pool, Tanby Pools.