Our clients had been living happily at Manor Cottage for 10 years, when they retained us. Over that time, their needs as a family had evolved; none more so than their son’s, who was now fourteen years’ old; not four. Their house, in contrast, remained rooted a decade in the past.
Our challenge was to transform their home into a wonderful space to entertain, so the family could stay on in the cottage they loved for another 10 years and beyond.
The existing house had been extended many times during its lifetime. So, the upstairs layout worked well for the family. The downstairs, however, had become a series of small rooms with no connection. So, we focused our efforts on reimagining the design and flow of the downstairs.
We moved the study and utility room to the front of the house to help separate the working and entertaining spaces. Then, we set about getting rid of the small-room feel. We did this by going open plan, where appropriate. We removed a wall as you came in. This made a feature of the existing staircase, created a galleried balcony and allowed you to see all the way through the house, as you walked through the front door. This drew you inside and invited you to come further.
We then reimagined the kitchen and dining room as one glorious open space, where lots of people could gather, while taking care to reuse the existing joinery. Finally, we made sure to bring the outside in, and vice versa, by way of floor-to-ceiling glass bifold doors between the kitchen to the garden.
Manor Cottage’s rebirth as an ‘entertainment hub’ is now complete. And our clients are now love entertaining their family and friends on a regular basis.