We were commissioned by our client, a prominent entertainer, to rationalise and refurbish their existing house and outbuildings. Because of its secluded location and heavily wooded grounds, Bicknacre House benefits from a great deal of privacy and minimal interaction with neighbouring properties or onlookers, making our central aim to improve the luxurious family home in a way that would complement its verdant surroundings. The house faced rigorous planning restrictions, as it is located in a Rural Area of the countryside which has specialist policies to comply with.

Our clients were keen that their refurbishment should fuse modern and traditional, without the modern components becoming a pastiche, and without the traditional components being artificially or excessively modernised. The functionality of the outbuildings was also of the utmost importance, with the creation of an annexe building for guests, and a studio space.

The interior of the house has been reworked, with an extension added to the rear of the property which will create a new living, kitchen, and dining area, and master bedroom. The current kitchen did not receive a good level of natural light, so it was essential to create an open, bright downstairs area that maintained the character of the property. Such openness was sustained throughout the remodelling, with a more sensical layout and increased height and headroom, particularly upstairs, to accommodate our very tall client.

A key tenet of our client’s brief was that imagination and fun must feature prominently throughout Bicknacre House to reflect their creativity, and we have fulfilled this through a number of interesting and unconventional elements peppering the property. These include a hidden staircase between the new open-plan living area and the master bedroom, providing a location to present art that the owner has commissioned. This staircase also incorporates a covert window, visible from the outside but clandestine internally, adding to the intrigue.