The Bothy

Brickendon, Hertfordshire

Traditional Meets Contemporary

The Bothy is an imaginative re-development of an existing cottage, situated in the Brickendon Conservation Area, Hertfordshire

Overview

We felt it was extremely important to retain the ‘cottagey’ character of the property and honour the core elements. Removing poorly conceived extensions and focusing on developing a nuanced duality between the twee and the adventurous.

The traditional detailing is preserved including decorative timber work and the hanging clay tiles in the original quarters of the house, to maintain its individuality. Conversely, there was reasonable creative license with the new back of the property, which includes a hidden ground floor.

The stairs are relocated, opening the space up and exposing a large window on the upper landing. Through this subtle infrastructural alteration, the traditional quarters of the house are flooded with light, without losing its identity or mimicking its new counterpart.

The grotto pool is nestled in the corner of the grounds, evocative of Grecian baths, with trailing vines and dark green tiles. This location and aesthetic selected to re-emphasise the cottage’s intimate character, and to go against the grain of traditional pool tiling.

‍

Through clever use of space we have substantially increased the living capacity of this house, doubling the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, without challenging the preservation of the Green Belt.

A grotto-style pool, designed with unconventional materials to create a sense of intrigue and intimacy
Clever use of both slotted and aluminium slim frame windows, lending the property natural light, whilst allowing a sense of privacy and secrecy
The creative fusion of contemporary and traditional
Hand-finished exterior of patinated copper, acid-washed by an artisan
Air Source Heat Pump