PICTURE PERFECT
Thanks to an ingenious update, this unusual Sixties house has become the perfect backdrop for the owner’s black and white photographs
When Danielle and Simon first saw their single-storey, flat-roof Sixties property, with its stone exterior and pine panelling inside, they had very mixed views. Danielle loved the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired design, which reminded her of her family home in America, and Simon liked the open-plan living areas – but they had reservations about its condition. The house was run-down and they would have to replace the roof, windows, floors and fittings, to bring it up to date, but they knew the chances of finding another Sixties architect-designed home like this one were few and far between.
They carried out the structural work, moved in, replaced the old bathroom fittings and eventually refitted the kitchen. ‘We really liked that the emphasis was on the light, open living space,’ says Danielle. ‘There’s also a mono-pitch roof over the dining area to create a sense of light and space, which makes this area the focal point of the house. The bedrooms and bathrooms are functional – situated along a corridor, they can be closed off, so it’s very practical and well designed.’
Danielle and Simon were also keen to make another change. Simon is an artistic photographer and keen amateur musician, and they wanted to create a multipurpose studio/living space where he could display his work and play music, but which could be transformed into an ensuite guest room that was independent of the main house.
Architect Ric Blenkharn was called upon to advise. His solution was to build a self-contained steel frame to stand over the original building, creating a freestanding, highly insulated extension over the original flat roof. This light, spacious room is accessed via an enclosed staircase built outside the original exterior stone wall.
‘We get the benefit of extra living space without damaging the building,’ says Danielle. ‘If someone wanted to revert the house back to its original design, the extension could be dismantled. We were
‘We DIDN’T WANT the house to be a slave to the SIXTIES’
not allowed in the house on the day the steel frame was craned into place, but after that the extension was completed with very little disruption to our day-to-day life. The final job was to knock a door into the original house to link the two spaces.’
Furnishing the house has been relatively easy. ‘We wanted to embrace the fact that it’s a Sixties property. But we didn’t feel the need to buy lots of old things or search for retro furniture,’ says Danielle. ‘We like old and modern, with the overall emphasis on a minimalist style.’
The only exceptions are a grandfather clock and a chest of drawers from Simon’s mum and their own furniture from their previous home, a Fifties dormer bungalow, which is in their bedroom. ‘Everything else we bought for the house,’ says Danielle. ‘We had a lot of things that just didn’t fit in here, so we gradually acquired designer pieces that complement the Sixties without being a slave to it.’
Danielle and Simon are avid readers and travellers and the house is full of their books and Simon’s black and white photographs. ‘We love the simplicity of the black and white images against all the natural wood. There are many layers of wood in here and the pictures help to tone it down and keep it balanced.’
Colour comes mainly through crockery, accessories and soft furnishings sourced from high street stores and online, which bring sparks of primary colours into the mix. Danielle’s particular favourites are the pendant lights over the dining table. ‘It’s a high room and we bought several designs of ceiling light before we eventually came across the large colourful shades from Heal’s,’ says Danielle. ‘It was worth persevering to get it right in the end.’
As a result, the couple have managed to bring the iconic architectdesigned house into the present day without losing any of its original character. ‘We’ve renovated and improved it, but the original design is just as it was when it was built,’ says Danielle. ‘The extension is our way of taking it into the future without losing anything of its past.’