Fairfield

Tucked away in the heart of Cornwall, near Tehidy Woods, is a new oak frame house for a young local family. The site is a former garden plot, surrounded by a line of protected trees and mature hedgerows.

A simple domestic form echoes the local rural vernacular barns, belying the variety and intrigue of the internal spaces. Clad primarily in black stained thermally modified timber and a black profiled metal roof sheet, the house nestles quietly within its sylvan setting.

A yellow door punctuates the north elevation and marks the main entrance. A generous lobby space then feeds to a double height kitchen, dining and living area where the oak frame scissor trusses are fully exposed. Access to the garden is via large sliding doors located to the west and the south.

To the other end of the house are two single bedrooms, a family bathroom and a master bedroom suite, while a discrete staircase draws you up to a mezzanine level which overlooks the main living space. This area is used as a child’s play space and family snug, while a further guest bedroom and WC completes the accommodation.

Insulation levels and air-tightness measures far exceed building regulation requirements, while high performance triple glazed windows complete the building facade. A ground source heat pump serves the underfloor heating system which runs throughout the house.

The design has allowed the client and their family to downsize from their existing 1840s period property without compromising in space and character.