Houzz Tours
British Houzz: An Unapologetically Modern Home in the Wilderness
A beautifully designed weekend house in rural England convinces its owners to leave the allure of the city and move in permanently
Rising up from a clearing on the edge of Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, this extraordinary new build is unapologetically modern. You might expect such a contemporary structure to jar in a rural setting, but its simplicity and size are nothing new. In fact, the huge barns and sheds dotted around the area were the inspiration behind the house, as architect Piers Smerin explains: “There’s an honesty in farm buildings. They’re simple structures and they look at home in rural areas. We wanted a building that wasn’t too elaborate or mannered.”
As well as being an area of protected ancient woodland, this is also working land, so in many ways this steel-clad structure is more authentic than a romantic building crafted from solid oak. “This isn’t a squeaky clean version of the English countryside. And we wanted a house that fitted into the landscape that surrounds it,” says Smerin.
Smerins’ clients had bought the site four years earlier hoping to fulfill a dream of building their own house. And while the internal area of 344 square metres may be enough to make many city dwellers weep, this was a remarkably modest project. “The owners aren’t the kind of people who say ‘it has to have seven bedrooms’, they were more concerned about what they would use it for,” says Smerin.
Originally planned as a weekend house – at least until the children left home – the extraordinary finished project convinced its owners to leave London and move here permanently. It’s a seal of approval that’s been echoed by RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects), which recently awarded the house a 2014 National Award.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of six
Location: Ashdown Forest, East Sussex
Year built: 2013
Size: 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Architect: Piers Smerin
That’s interesting: The house is built on the site of a 1920s summerhouse complete with an established suburban garden
As well as being an area of protected ancient woodland, this is also working land, so in many ways this steel-clad structure is more authentic than a romantic building crafted from solid oak. “This isn’t a squeaky clean version of the English countryside. And we wanted a house that fitted into the landscape that surrounds it,” says Smerin.
Smerins’ clients had bought the site four years earlier hoping to fulfill a dream of building their own house. And while the internal area of 344 square metres may be enough to make many city dwellers weep, this was a remarkably modest project. “The owners aren’t the kind of people who say ‘it has to have seven bedrooms’, they were more concerned about what they would use it for,” says Smerin.
Originally planned as a weekend house – at least until the children left home – the extraordinary finished project convinced its owners to leave London and move here permanently. It’s a seal of approval that’s been echoed by RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects), which recently awarded the house a 2014 National Award.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of six
Location: Ashdown Forest, East Sussex
Year built: 2013
Size: 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Architect: Piers Smerin
That’s interesting: The house is built on the site of a 1920s summerhouse complete with an established suburban garden
The house is built into a bank with an entrance via a metal bridge. “I wanted the entrance to take you into the middle of the house. From there you can go up or down.” Originally, this side of the building was going to be covered in sweet chestnut wood from the local forest, but it proved too difficult to harvest and dry it in sufficient quantities. Instead, Smerin used Scandinavian Thermowood – a softwood that behaves like cedar and doesn’t rot when it’s exposed to the elements.
Inside, the ground floor meets the bank on one side and juts out over the land on the other. This open-plan space has all sorts of separate zones, including a cosy seating area around the wood-burning stove. The oak-veneered plywood surround creates a very contemporary look.
The poured polished concrete floor contains underfloor heating. Long lines emphasise the scale of the space, while coloured cabinets lift the pared-back interior. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors lead out onto the large verandah. These can be pushed back into the wall, removing the boundary between inside and out.
Glazing, IQ Glass. Flooring, Lazenby. Joinery, Joe Mellows Furniture.
Glazing, IQ Glass. Flooring, Lazenby. Joinery, Joe Mellows Furniture.
Another informal seating area makes this a flexible house for a growing family. The lime-green sofa and purple sideboard add pops of colour, contrasting with the concrete walls and floor. With the glass doors pushed back, the forest seems to come right up into the house, casting leafy shadows indoors. “The house is orientated to make the most of the low-angle sun in the winter months – there’s plenty of glazing looking towards the west,” says Smerin.
The cantilevered terrace is a practical space, with its overhanging roof providing shade and protection from showers. “We did consider stairs between here and the lower level, but the owners decided there were benefits to being separate from ground level,” says Piers. “Apart from anything else, it keeps out the local wildlife.”
The ground floor has a utility room next to the pool. The apparently floating stairs keep the space open. They are made from chunks of oak from the surrounding woodland. The walls are clad in concrete cast against timber boards. “They add a nice texture and are much more forgiving to use than plain concrete.”
On the top floor, barely visible wires create an unobtrusive safety barrier. The window seats have storage lockers underneath. “This was designed as a play space for wet days, with a window seat for each child. That was when there were three kids, but now there are four!” Skylights illuminate the space.
Carpets make the simple upstairs space cosy. With no near neighbours and plenty of surrounding trees, there’s no need for blinds at the bedroom windows. The barn-style door leads out onto a balcony and is in keeping with the home’s rustic aesthetic.
In the bathroom, a large mirror bounces light around and makes the most of the exceptional forest views. A block of colour on the wall zones the bathing area.
None of the bedrooms are huge or ostentatious: the view from the balcony adds plenty of visual interest. “There’s a real mix of furniture. It’s not a house that’s trying to be a temple of Mid-century Modernism,” says Smerin.
The huge overhang of the building seems to defy gravity. Underneath is the pool and a hidden outdoor shower. “This is proper farming land. When the kids go out to play, they come back really muddy,” laughs Piers.
The pool can be opened or closed off to the meadow that surrounds it. “Deer often graze around here,” says Piers. It has a pebbly, waterproof finish around it.
View more popular pool designs
View more popular pool designs
The house overlooks a lake, created by damming a stream. “It feels as if we’ve built on the edge of a lake,” says Piers. “It’s very naturalistic.”
TELL US
What do you like about this house? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
TELL US
What do you like about this house? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
Situated in a woodland glade, the house has echoes of a modern farm building. “There’s no reason something has to look as if it’s been there for 100 years,” says Smerin. The exterior is clad in Corten steel, which rusts to match the autumnal colour of the surrounding beech trees.