Country Home Design Photos
McLean QuinlanNestled into a hillside, this timber-framed family home enjoys uninterrupted views out across the countryside of the North Downs. A newly built property, it is an elegant fusion of traditional crafts and materials with contemporary design.
Our clients had a vision for a modern sustainable house with practical yet beautiful interiors, a home with character that quietly celebrates the details. For example, where uniformity might have prevailed, over 1000 handmade pegs were used in the construction of the timber frame.
The building consists of three interlinked structures enclosed by a flint wall. The house takes inspiration from the local vernacular, with flint, black timber, clay tiles and roof pitches referencing the historic buildings in the area.
The structure was manufactured offsite using highly insulated preassembled panels sourced from sustainably managed forests. Once assembled onsite, walls were finished with natural clay plaster for a calming indoor living environment.
Timber is a constant presence throughout the house. At the heart of the building is a green oak timber-framed barn that creates a warm and inviting hub that seamlessly connects the living, kitchen and ancillary spaces. Daylight filters through the intricate timber framework, softly illuminating the clay plaster walls.
Along the south-facing wall floor-to-ceiling glass panels provide sweeping views of the landscape and open on to the terrace.
A second barn-like volume staggered half a level below the main living area is home to additional living space, a study, gym and the bedrooms.
The house was designed to be entirely off-grid for short periods if required, with the inclusion of Tesla powerpack batteries. Alongside underfloor heating throughout, a mechanical heat recovery system, LED lighting and home automation, the house is highly insulated, is zero VOC and plastic use was minimised on the project.
Outside, a rainwater harvesting system irrigates the garden and fields and woodland below the house have been rewilded.
Chapter Eight Design | Interior Design Studiobespoke furniture, classic design, family home,
Farmhouse l-shaped kitchen/diner in Sussex with a belfast sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, black appliances, light hardwood flooring, an island, beige floors, white worktops and a vaulted ceiling.
Farmhouse l-shaped kitchen/diner in Sussex with a belfast sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, black appliances, light hardwood flooring, an island, beige floors, white worktops and a vaulted ceiling.
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Unique HomestaysDesign ideas for a medium sized country formal living room in Gloucestershire with beige walls, medium hardwood flooring, a standard fireplace and panelled walls.
Sims HilditchThis bedroom has a clean and fresh feel to it. Playful accents of blue and pink threaded through the neutral colour scheme draw the eye and add interest to the space, making for a welcoming and beautiful interior.
Justin Van Breda LondonPhoto of a country dining room in Gloucestershire with beige walls, multi-coloured floors and exposed beams.
Unique HomestaysThis is an example of a small farmhouse open plan living room curtain in Other with a reading nook, grey walls, slate flooring, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a concealed tv and grey floors.
Justin Van Breda LondonPhoto of a beige rural detached house in Gloucestershire with three floors, stone cladding, a pitched roof, a shingle roof and a brown roof.
TFQ ArchitectsThe Goat Shed - Devon.
The house was finished with a grey composite cladding with authentic local stone to ensure the building nestled into the environment well, with a country/rustic appearance with close references to its original site use of an agricultural building.
The Brighton Bathroom CompanyInspiration for a rural bathroom in Sussex with shaker cabinets, black cabinets, a freestanding bath, multi-coloured walls, a submerged sink, grey floors, white worktops, a single sink, exposed beams and wallpapered walls.
David SalisburyIn our latest Kitchen ‘stories’ series, we share the journey behind the transformation of this
Somerset farmhouse.
This was a complete renovation project in the true sense of the word, involving both the vision of the owner and one of David Salisbury’s most experienced designers. The period property had an existing kitchen which was simply too small and clearly not suitable for a busy family, with a fondness for entertaining.
The masterstroke was the decision to relocate the kitchen to what was the former living room and open up the property with a glazed extension, instantly adding in light-bathed space and creating the all-important connection to the garden.
The idea to position the kitchen in a new, purpose-built space provided the opportunity to start with a blank canvas: a kitchen designer’s dream!
Planning the new kitchen without the constraints of services, such as existing electrics and plumbing, meant we could set about creating a space that was truly tailored to our client.
First of all this meant really understanding the home owner and listening to how this busy family lived their lives at home – very socially was the answer!
With a substantial new space to work with, we designed a large island to form the centrepiece of the new kitchen, along with an informal entertaining space with comfy bar stools.
Having considered a number of different cooking options, our client chose an Everhot range cooker, having visited our showroom in Chelsea to see the existing display and get a better understanding of their reputation for energy efficiency and contemporary cooking functionality. The soft grey tone of the Everhot (Dove Grey) not only acted as a strong focal point, but a warming source of heat for the family (and dog!) to snuggle around.
The striking choice of paint finish, ‘Drammen’ from David Salisbury’s unique palette, accentuates the quality of the joinery and is the perfect pairing with our solid oak carcasses – we could look at this eye-catching combination all day!
The mix of busy family and social life meant choice of refrigeration was important to get right. The French door fridge freezer from Fisher & Paykel not only maximised storage, it also included a built-in ice maker, a must-have for hosting informal drinks or a weekend night in. Plenty of flexible space for larder essentials was provided by the bespoke pantry cupboard, situated alongside the fridge, with bottle and spice racks and even a cold shelf in matching quartz.
Introducing a bench seat under the window allowed a seamless continuation of the kitchen cabinetry and another great space to bring family and guests together, when cooking and entertaining. Safe to say, it’s now the favourite space for Orla (the family’s dog) to take in the views of the garden!
Whilst last, but by no means least, the final feature of the kitchen, was a bespoke media unit with bi-fold doors to conceal the TV, which doubled up as a drinks cabinet with integrated wine cooler.
Designed from scratch, the new kitchen for this Somerset farmhouse is a combination of timeless design and modern luxury. Being able to cook for and entertain family and guests, in the same space at the same time, meant the final design was perfectly done!
The New & Reclaimed Flooring CompanyThree and half hours from London, on the Welsh border, we find the Malvern hills, home to a sprawling country bolt-hole barn conversion.
The property needed a complete renovation and was on a vast scale.
Emma’s clients had bought this gloriously huge barn to relocate from London to embrace a slower pace of life.
Unfortunately, much of the property’s character had been lost through years of ill-considered additions of partition walls, poor glazing and stark flooring, which were simply incompatible with its history.
The scale needed to restore this home to its former glory initially overwhelmed the homeowners.
They chose to work with Emma Kirby Designs to completely rebuild, redesign and remodel the space.
Once the internal partitions were removed, the massive scale of the property created a magnificent space which would make entertaining an absolute joy for both the homeowners and their guests.
The result was spectacular.
The antique floorboards were supplied and installed by us.
Our expert installers know and understand the importance of this carefully sourced solid wood flooring and are masters of their trade.
Justin Van Breda LondonDesign ideas for a farmhouse bedroom in Gloucestershire with beige walls, carpet, brown floors, exposed beams and a vaulted ceiling.
Country Home Design Photos
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