Step inside an architect's modern family home

Open-plan living space

Every architect dreams of designing their own home. The owners' first job was to choose a reinforced glass panel on the staircase to act as a balustrade while maximising light. Decking offers continuation from inside to out, and wooden shutters create shade in the summer months.

 

Kitchen

Light pours into this open-plan kitchen space. The kitchen doors and units are kept in a neutral palette to maximise the sense of space.

 

Living room

Wooden flooring in the spacious sitting room conceals under-floor heating.

 

Bedroom

Full-height windows in the master bedroom flood the room with light. Neutral walls and pale carpet, keep the focus on the views. 

 

Bathroom

Large tiles keep the look calm in the bathroom. This is a classic example of a practical yet stylish space.

 

Children's room

Vibrant cushions and curtains provide colour in the couple’s daughter's room.

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Dining area

The tablemakers table echoes the chunky quality of the limestone work surfaces in the dining room. The pendant lights are from John Lewis.

 

Living room

The ornate mirror, a family piece, does not look in the least bit out of place with the contemporary coffee table. The curtain fabric is in a slub silk by Larsen; the chairs, placed close for casual gatherings, are from Dudgeon.

 

Console table

On the Philippe Hurel table in the living room are contemporary vases from Rebecca Scott International and lamps by Linley, creating an elegant focal point.

 

Study

The Dudgeon sofa in the home office adds a cosy feel. On the shelf is a bust of the homeowner's famous forebear, novelist John Buchan.

 

Reading corner

The walls of the home office are covered in hessian by Schumacher, while the curtains are in Donnybrook Floral Tea by Ralph Lauren. A chair beside a standard lamp provides a relaxing place to read.

 

Bedroom

In the bedroom, the Alpine cushions were brought back from Switzerland by the homeowner. They pick up the red in the Ian Mankin fabric on the Ochre blanket box.

 

Bathroom

With its painted panelling and floor, the bathroom has a New England feel. A chair from an auction sits below a blind in fabric by Nina Campbell. The fittings are from Aston Matthews. 

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Dining room with roaring fire

A warm and homely seaside feel is created in the dining room, with natural wood furniture and neutral  upholstery accented by statement pieces such as these wooden antler-themed candelabras and tactile materials. The wing chair was found at auction and reupholstered in a hearty checked fabric.

 

Cosy kitchen

A sophisticated and cosy coastal theme is enhanced in the kitchen, with an earthy colour palette and rustic finishing touches, such as these antler door handles and stone flooring tiles.

 

Open-plan dining

To add contrast to the neutral decor, all the interior doors are stained black to represent a fusion between metropolitan style and rustic comfort. Furniture is kept simple and classic.

 

Living room chandelier

Blending solid wood furniture, soft leather sofas, tactile materials and sparkling accessories is the key to this interior's success, combining timeless elegance and rustic charm.

 

Living room

Doors leading to the outside decking area give the owner plenty of opportunity to enjoy the fresh highland air, and these french doors flood the living room with natural light.  Natural materials and surfaces help continue the rustic comfort theme.

 

Bedroom with luxury bath

The glamorous en-suite bathroom is incorporated into the bedroom, creating a relaxing retreat. The luxurious  bateau bath is a stunning focal point in the room, while porcelain tiles with a narrow black border help to add depth and definition.

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Grand hallway

Using the hallway for displaying artwork creates an inviting atmosphere for guests, and the glass-fronted door lets light flood into the bright and airy space.

 

Living room seating

A colour scheme of neutral creams and bright reds create a great feeling of warmth in the living room. Having different shapes and styles of furniture helps to add a relaxed, laid-back feel.  Space is created with the addition of a decorative mirror letting light bounce around the room, as well as providing an over-fireplace feature.

 

Living room sash window

Heavy floral curtains frame beautiful sash windows in the living room- it's a simple way of adding pattern and vibrancy to a room.

 

Fresh dining room

A humorous chicken prin blind adds a sense of fun to the dining area, emulating the laid-back country style of the house.  The room is kept fresh with crisp floral tableware and simple table decorations.

 

Country kitchen

A two-tone colour scheme is created by choosing different shades for the wall and floor cabinets.  A simple tiled splashback keeps the style simple and classic, but small accents like this gold tap give the kitchen a contemporary twist.

 

Girls floral bedroom

An eclectic mix of patterns and colours creates a fun and friendly girl's bedroom.  Added details of bunting and trimmings give a more personal touch.

 

Girls bedroom seating area

An empty decorative frame adds a lovely touch to this pretty seating area, and really brings out the cute butterfly pattern wallpaper.

 

Patchwork bathroom

The blue from the original tiles was picked out to create a colour scheme for the bathroom and was continued in the accessories and patchwork blind.

 

Blue guest bedroom

The swallow print blind in this guest bedroom adds a quirky, nature-inspired element to this cool and relaxing colour scheme.

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Light and open kitchen

With a mix of modern and antique furniture, the owners needed a kitchen design that would suit both comfortably.  This kitchen is the perfect mix of modern design with traditional elements. The large curved island is made from solid Maple, and houses the stunning Aga, and plenty of storage.

 

Hidden dishwasher

Built to be as practical as it is stylish, the rounded design of the units accomodates the dishwasher with ease. Hard carved from one piece of solid timber, the curved door is a beautiful example of the craftmanship that has gone into this kitchen.

 

Purple Aga

While forming the main focal point for the kitchen, this sleek aubergine range cooker provides the inspiration for the room's colour scheme.  The owner chose aubergine as it reflected the tone of the farmhouse style house, and repeated the colour in the wallpaper and accessories.

 

Electric socket tower

Without available walls to place sockets, a pop-up power supply from Evoline was installed to enable the use of small appliances at the island.  After use, the unit slides down to sit flush with the Fraser James limestone worktop, with only a chrome circle as a clue to its location.

 

Fridge-freezer

This large 3-door, American fridge-freezer is surrounded by pull-out larders so all food can be conveniently kept together.  Matching maple cornicing on top of all the cupboards finishes off the classic look that suits this farmhouse property so well.

 

Wine cooler and coffee maker

With a dining table close by, the curved island is perfect for hosting, enabling the owners to interact with their guests more, and with this handy wine cooler and built in coffee machine, there is no shortage of entertaining in this kitchen.

 

Curved unit

The warm tones of the maple cabinetry blends exquisitely with the oak flooring, creating a streamlined and polished look. 

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Walnut kitchen

Before the owners got their hands on this home, the kitchen was small and not conducive to family life or entertaining.  After knocking through to a Victorian lean-to, this delicious and spacious dark-wood kitchen offers a practical layout, with space to cook, entertain and relax.

 

Kitchen sink area

Every inch of space is utilised in this kitchen, with a coffee machine built into the cabinetry, creating more useable worktop space. 

 

Larder storage

Style and practicality are key in this kitchen, where the larder combines handy shelves and pull-out drawers for effective and easy-to-access storage.

 

Clever corner cupboards

This kitchen cleverly uses all available space by adding corner cupboards that fold right back into hard-to-reach areas.  Surfaces are kept clean and free from clutter, leaving appliances like this toaster to make a punchy statement on the speckled granite worksurface.

 

Hob and work surfaces

The discreet cooker hood is housed in a traditional canopy that suits the style and grandeur of this room. A simple induction hob nestles in the sleek grey worktop, while a simple microwave is built into the wall units, further maximising worktop space.

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Living room

The neutral interior in the living room is both timeless and understated, with nickel trim along the edge of the  tables. 

 

Living area

The contemporary armoire in the family living room is one of a matching pair either side of the marble  fireplace. The door panels are lined with Grasscloth wallpaper. A large mirror adds an Art Deco feel, while the leather coffee table from Louise Bradley with its nickel frame echoes the scheme in the kitchen beyond. 

 

Dining room

Silver coloured detailing and mirrored plinths add a sleek feeling of luxury to this dining room.

 

Kitchen-diner

A contemporary walnut kitchen by Smallbone is the Piece De Resistance of the open-plan kitchen and dining area. The walnut finish has been partnered with brushed-steel handles and glossy black granite worktops. 

 

Hallway

A classic, neutral design is continued in the hallway, with an antique-style wood console table and contrasting dark wood chair. 

 

Bedroom

An unusual chesnut-brown grasscloth wallpaper from Bruno Triplet brings warmth and drama to the main bedroom. The velvet-covered footstool is from William Yeoward and the hand-painted silk lampshades are byClarissa Hulse. 

 

Bath

The floor-to-ceiling marble tiles add a touch of classic elegance to the en-suite bathroom.

 

Bathroom

An uncluttered shower room gives the illusion of more space and cleanliness.