Stour House
Suffolk
A large, picture
perfect site with
a tired cottage in
need of replacement presented an
incredible opportunity for a new home.
As the site is set within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it was clear that the new home would need to be an exemplary piece of contemporary architecture that was sensitive
and responsive to its location.
The new dwelling was to be twice the size of the existing cottage, so great care was taken to break up the massing and articulate the elevations by visually separating the ground and first floors. Large swathes of glazing on the ground floor of the southern elevation flood the house with natural light and allow stunning views out to the river, and deep window reveals on the first floor, which splay out at angles, help frame picture perfect scenes.
Western red cedar was selected for the cladding, which will age beautifully and helps blend the building in to the area, and is complimented by powder coated aluminium panels and window reveals.
Internally, a large open plan ground floor gives the family lots of space to hang out and entertain, with a central void above the dining area adding drama. The kitchen has a large pantry behind it, with extra food preparation and storage space. A TV room to the rear allows for cosy movie nights and two guest bedrooms are serviced by a separate bathroom. Upstairs, the principal spaces all enjoy incredible views to the south, framed by the splayed window reveals, with the master suite also having a private balcony. A games room, complete with pool table, is joined by 4 further bedrooms and accompanying bathrooms.
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Attention to detail can clearly be seen across the home, with plastered-in window frames on the inside creating the appearance of frameless windows that capture the views beyond. A carefully designed main staircase was fabricated from laser cut steel, softened with a cedar clad balustrade, a material which is again used on the ceiling of the living space to add warmth and texture.
The ground floor is entirely covered in a polished micro-cement, giving a solid, smooth and united feel to the space.
