Thoroughly modern
Sensitive design allows this contemporary cottage to feel right at home in a medieval town
Fitting a new build into a historic town
After years of living in the medieval town of Lavenham, surrounded by pretty half-timbered cottages, Christopher Ash and his partner, James Soane, yearned for a more modern house. ‘Although the cottages are lovely to look at, they’re usually dark inside and the rooms tend to be small,’ explains James. ‘We felt it was an opportunity to build a cottage that was open plan on the ground floor with views of the garden, and had bedrooms above with a studio on the top floor – simple, rustic and able to take both modern and antique furniture. As architects it was critical to show we could build in a modern way that fits into a traditional and historical context.’
The pair wanted to stay in Lavenham, but plots of land were few and far between. Then a chance meeting when they were out one night led them to the owner of a site just across the road from their house that had planning permission. ‘We couldn’t believe our luck. It was ideal in size and position, and, although the permissions weren’t exactly what we wanted, we negotiated with local planners and, after a few months our ideas were approved,’ says James.
As they already lived in the area, they were familiar with the local tradesmen. ‘We contacted Elford & Sons, a firm of builders. They had never built anything as modern as our design before and were feeling a bit apprehensive about it, but we all decided it was worth giving it a go,’ says James. Although they were building a modern property, Christopher and James wanted it to fit in with the local architecture, so they incorporated traditional elements, such as a steeply pitched, tiled roof and a rendered facade. Natural oiled-oak windows on the street side of the house are also in keeping with the local style, while on the garden side, full-height windows are fitted with modern, wooden shutter-style panels to bring in as much light and fresh air as possible.
In keeping with their contemporary vision, Christopher and James designed an open-plan ground floor with a curved, enclosed
staircase at the centre of the living/kitchen/music area. Only the utility room and WC are enclosed. The whole space has new brick flooring, which is heated but in keeping with the cottage feel. They also chose a neutral colour palette throughout, with off-white walls.
The kitchen was designed with a long oak cabinet incorporating open shelves and a series of mustard yellow cabinets above. A bespoke table with a built-in bench visually separates the kitchen from the sitting room. A step, cleverly incorporating storage, leads down from one space to the other. The chimney breast, in white-painted brickwork with a raised cast-concrete hearth, houses an open fire.
Christopher and James have the main bedroom on the first floor and created a full-height window that looks out onto the garden, flooding the space with light. ‘It’s calming to wake up in the morning and look out onto nature and the rooftops beyond,’ says James.
Two sliding doors lead to a bathroom that is simple in design, with painted tongue-and-groove panelling on one wall and luxurious Carrara marble lining the shower and enclosing the bath. A smaller guest bedroom and bathroom opposite use a similar palette of materials and neutral colours. On the top floor is another bedroom for visitors, a bathroom and a studio room.
Though the couple run their architectural practice, Project Orange, from London and live there during the week, they come to the house in Suffolk every weekend and consider it their home. ‘It’s the perfect antidote to the stress and busyness of London,’ says James. ‘We come here and breathe. The pace is slower, the people are friendly and there’s a real sense of community. Now we have the best of both worlds – a modern home that showcases our work, plus a town with rich history. It’s a great example of how modern architecture can fit into a historical context.’