Originally built as a row of four 19th-century workers’ cottages, the house sits in a rural setting in Hampshire, nestled into surrounding farmland. Now a family home, the building has evolved over time through a series of piecemeal conversions, resulting in a layout that lacked clarity and flow. Our clients approached us with the intention of creating a calm, clever and quietly bold forever home: a place that respects the character of the original buildings while adapting confidently to suit modern family life.
At the heart of the brief was a desire to retain and celebrate what made the home special: its material warmth, rural charm, and layered history. But functionally, the existing plan no longer served the needs of a young family with two parents working from home. Circulation was convoluted, the connection to the garden broken, and key spaces such as the kitchen, studies and living areas were either compromised or missing altogether.
The architectural response began by recognising the integrity of the three connected cottages and using their existing structural logic to inform the design. A new timber colonnade was introduced along the rear of the property, not just as an aesthetic gesture but as a way to unlock the plan. By relocating the primary circulation into this colonnade, we were able to reclaim the internal corridors and pockets that had fragmented the layout. This one move reorganised the house, creating room for the client’s full brief while reducing unnecessary complexity.
Privett House
At the centre of the colonnade sits a new stair core, modest in scale but pivotal to the project. It connects the ground and first floors with quiet clarity, serving as a spine around which the home now flows. On the ground floor, this shift in circulation allows for a generous and welcoming entrance sequence. Two dedicated home offices, a WC, boot room and coat storage are tucked logically into the plan, alongside a fireplace that adds warmth and rhythm. A new open kitchen and dining space is created through a four-metre rear extension to the southern end of the house, designed to open up to views of the garden through timber-glazed doors and full-height windows. A more intimate snug or playroom sits alongside, also benefiting from light and openness to the outside.
The kitchen is designed to incorporate existing investments made by the client, including a Bora hob, double ovens, ex-display island and a wine room fit-out, as well as built-in storage for a baby grand piano and a collection of books. The garden, previously divided by a central driveway, is now unified with parking relocated to allow full use of the outdoor space.
Upstairs, the plan is equally rationalised. The existing family bathroom remains in place for simplicity, and two central bedrooms are retained. A front bedroom is reimagined as a guest suite, while a new primary suite is created above the kitchen extension. This includes a generous bedroom with twin dormers and a Juliet balcony overlooking the garden, two walk-in wardrobes, and a large en suite with conservation rooflights, double vanities and a walk-in shower.
Externally, materials are chosen to sit confidently within the rural setting. The colonnade is topped with a green roof, while the stair core and entrance canopy are finished in zinc. Timber cladding and detailing are carried throughout, including on the pergola and glazed modules, and finished in a warm red tone, likely ‘Red Earth’ by Farrow & Ball. New windows and doors are designed to reflect the proportions of the original cottages, including Dutch doors to the front to draw daylight into the offices and living areas. Vertical and horizontal cladding create texture and variety, while the glazed pergola side panels can be opened or closed to temper wind and preserve views to the surrounding fields.
While the current design focuses on the three cottages already owned by the clients, it is intentionally future-proofed to accommodate a potential fourth. The colonnade is extended and aligned to form a natural link if the time comes. Every move in this project is measured, thoughtful and grounded in the way the family lives. The result is a complete reworking of the house that still feels entirely of the place.
Project status:
| Location | Petersfield, Hampshire |
| Project type | Private house refurbishment and enlargement |
| Services | Refurbishments & Extensions, Heritage & Conservation |
