READING THE VIEW

Richard and Emma Lawson’s ‘reading room’ allows the couple to enjoy the views from their 17th-century Cotswold cottage out across the valley

‘Our cottage sits on the edge of a hill, but as the windows in the original house are quite small, we weren’t able to make the most of the views looking across the valley,’ says Richard. ‘The reading room is mostly glass so the views are now panoramic, and it's the lightest and brightest part of the house. It’s changed how we use the house and especially the garden, which was previously sloped and uneven – we levelled it out during construction, and now indoors and out are on the same level.

‘The house sits within an AONB and Conservation Area, so we wanted an architect who would understand the difficult site and the historic building, but who would also create something unique. After describing to George King Architects how we wanted to use the space, they suggested adding sliding glass doors that disappear behind bookcases, which would allow us to open up the entire room to the garden. The result is quite magical The local planning department were also very supportive of the design, acknowledging that the extension was sensitive to the existing building and surrounding landscape while also being a thoughtful and contemporary addition.

‘We love having barbecues outside in the summer, and in winter we move into the reading room without feeling like we’ve left the garden. The new extension means we spend a lot more time outdoors now. It’s very flexible. We spend a lot of time reading, but we use it for all sorts of things – most recently, it’s been invaluable as a place to set up a temporary home office. It has been great to have a place to work at home with lovely views and a strong connection with nature – it certainly made lockdown a lot more bearable!’

COSTS & CONTACTS

Project cost £70,000

Architects George King Architects,

020 3239 2376, georgekingarchitects.com