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Houzz Tour: A Rundown Devon Cottage Gets a Contemporary Update
An inspiring blend of old and new architecture transforms a derelict cottage into a modern home with elegant proportions
Buying a dilapidated cottage in the middle of Dartmoor National Park at auction might at first seem like a high-risk move, but the new owners of this rundown property could see past the state of the house to all its potential – and they were up for the challenge.
Part of the appeal was that, although it had fallen into disrepair, the house is located in four acres of beautiful woodland, which came with the lot. “It has one of those really wonderful approaches – you come through a gated entrance and wind through this landscaped woodland for about 100 yards and then you see the house at the end of the drive,” says architect Eilir Sheryn of van Ellen + Sheryn. “It’s a classic country house approach.”
Part of the appeal was that, although it had fallen into disrepair, the house is located in four acres of beautiful woodland, which came with the lot. “It has one of those really wonderful approaches – you come through a gated entrance and wind through this landscaped woodland for about 100 yards and then you see the house at the end of the drive,” says architect Eilir Sheryn of van Ellen + Sheryn. “It’s a classic country house approach.”
The elegant Georgian façade was one of the building’s finest features, so the team based the concept for the extension around it.
“It was important that the Georgian elevation took pride of place within the plot,” Eilir says. “We knew we didn’t want to compete with that, so any extension would have to be set back and not interfere with the proportions of the existing building.”
To ensure the front of the extension was in harmony with its older counterpart, they mirrored the three windows on the first floor, used slate-coloured zinc on the roof, and clad it in Siberian larch.
A big discussion the team had was around the advantages of retaining the render compared to exposing the old stone. “When you have an old building like this, if it’s rendered, it’s generally for a purpose,” Eilir says. “The Georgians would either expose good cut stone or build out of poorer stone and render over it, so our initial reaction was that it needed to be lime rendered.”
“It was important that the Georgian elevation took pride of place within the plot,” Eilir says. “We knew we didn’t want to compete with that, so any extension would have to be set back and not interfere with the proportions of the existing building.”
To ensure the front of the extension was in harmony with its older counterpart, they mirrored the three windows on the first floor, used slate-coloured zinc on the roof, and clad it in Siberian larch.
A big discussion the team had was around the advantages of retaining the render compared to exposing the old stone. “When you have an old building like this, if it’s rendered, it’s generally for a purpose,” Eilir says. “The Georgians would either expose good cut stone or build out of poorer stone and render over it, so our initial reaction was that it needed to be lime rendered.”
However, the owners were taken with the idea of a stone look, so they stripped it back and were pleasantly surprised by what they found. Not only was the stonework in great condition, there was also some pretty brickwork around all the windows.
“It really works,” Eilir says. “The fact it’s exposed adds an extra layer of detail and interest.”
Find reviewed architects and interior designers in your area on Houzz.
“It really works,” Eilir says. “The fact it’s exposed adds an extra layer of detail and interest.”
Find reviewed architects and interior designers in your area on Houzz.
A portion of the old house was eventually demolished. “We realised the older part at the back didn’t really work,” Eilir says. “It was damp and dark, and the floor-to-ceiling height was poor. It had much thicker stone walls and it was quite simplistic in its construction – and clearly not fit for purpose”
This ‘before’ shot of the original kitchen – now demolished – gives a good flavour of what a sorry state the interiors were in.
The room and this part of the house have now been replaced by a modern extension.
Eilir and the team designed the silhouette of the new extension to echo the outline of the older building, so that although there’s a stark contrast between the two parts, there’s still a sense of unity.
Siberian larch, Brunel Supplies.
Siberian larch, Brunel Supplies.
As the Georgian front door opened up straight into the sitting room – not ideal when coming in after a muddy, country walk – the team relocated the main entrance.
They chose the glazed link between the old house and the new extension as the most practical point of entry, partly because it’s near where the cars are parked, but also because it’s next to the utility room. “Being on Dartmoor, they need a ‘decontamination zone’ where they could drop all their walking paraphernalia,” Eilir says.
They chose the glazed link between the old house and the new extension as the most practical point of entry, partly because it’s near where the cars are parked, but also because it’s next to the utility room. “Being on Dartmoor, they need a ‘decontamination zone’ where they could drop all their walking paraphernalia,” Eilir says.
Inside the glazed link, where the raw stone of the historic part of the house is still exposed, Eilir created a hallway. “It’s a multifunctional space that also has a front-to-back view,” Eilir says. “And I like the fact it doesn’t blur the transition between old and new, but creates a very distinct separation. I think it creates a little more drama and a sense of arrival.”
After the renovation, this is how the ground floor looks. You can see clearly how the new extension is intentionally set back from the main house, allowing the historic Georgian part to take prominence, and how the glazed link joins the two portions together.
The effect is repeated up on the first floor landing, which is directly above the hallway, where Eilir had the idea of creating a double-height space, so as you enter the building, you look all the way up to the ceiling of the first floor.
The proposed floor plan of the first floor shows how, upstairs, the house now benefits from a wealth of extra space and functionality with the addition of the new extension.
Back downstairs, off the hallway in the older half of the building there’s a comfortable living room.
“It’s quite a traditionally dressed room,” Eilir says, “but the proportions are lovely, so it works well. It’s a very homely space without being too grand.”
“We kept the original fireplace,” Eilir continues. “A lot of the original features were past repair, but everything we could salvage, we did.”
In the new extension, the team created a spacious, contemporary open-plan kitchen-diner, which overlooks the garden at the front of the house. Sliding doors mean the room can be opened up to the outdoor terrace.
Kitchen, Ikea.
Kitchen, Ikea.
The expansive modern space may seem at odds with the older parts of the property, but when all the areas are brought together, the combination elevates the home to a whole new level.
“People like an old cottage for its historic charm, but there are also restrictions with what you have – bad ceiling heights and a lack of natural light,” Eilir says. “So if you can add something that’s light and transparent that connects well to the outside spaces, you can have a bit of everything.”
Mirrors, Ikea.
“People like an old cottage for its historic charm, but there are also restrictions with what you have – bad ceiling heights and a lack of natural light,” Eilir says. “So if you can add something that’s light and transparent that connects well to the outside spaces, you can have a bit of everything.”
Mirrors, Ikea.
“We wanted a flexible, multifunctional living space, as it works in so many ways,” he says.
Porcelain floor tiles, Mandarin Stone.
Porcelain floor tiles, Mandarin Stone.
The clients sourced furniture from markets and antiques shops to create a fresh yet characterful Scandi vibe.
Upstairs in the old part of the house, there are two bedrooms with a main bathroom in between them. The team were able to restore and reinstate some of the original timber trusses, which add character to the rooms. Where Eilir needed to add in new wooden elements, they used French oak.
The shared bathroom has a generous freestanding tub…
In the extension on the first floor, Eilir was able to add three spacious new bedrooms and two bathrooms, so the owners now have plenty of room for friends and family to come and stay.
One of the new bathrooms in the extension.
For Eilir, one of his favourite parts of the finished design is the glazed link between the historic half of the building and the contemporary part. “It’s a lovely space – and a very efficient use of the floorplan,” he says.
But what sets it apart for him is the way the building is in harmony with its natural setting. “That’s been really successful – the way the landscape works so well with the house,” he says. “Quite often, you’ll get projects where the external spaces haven’t been developed with the same rigour and attention as the architecture, but here there’s such a wonderful backdrop.”
He thinks the owners feel the same way. “Overall, their favourite element is the tranquillity,” he says. “This really is a very special place.”
Landscaping, Alice Blount Garden Design.
Tell us…
What do you like best about the rebirth of this crumbling old building? Let us know in the Comments.
He thinks the owners feel the same way. “Overall, their favourite element is the tranquillity,” he says. “This really is a very special place.”
Landscaping, Alice Blount Garden Design.
Tell us…
What do you like best about the rebirth of this crumbling old building? Let us know in the Comments.
Who lives here? A couple entering retirement
Location Dartmoor National Park, Devon
Property An early 17th century cottage with a modern rear addition
Size Five bedrooms and three bathrooms
Architect Eilir Sheryn of van Ellen + Sheryn
Photos by Richard Downer Photography
Eilir could see the house itself was a combination of two different parts and that, at some point in its history, the older part at the back of the building had been improved with a newer Georgian extension at the front. “The first thing we did was analyse what we had and try to understand its merits and weaknesses,” he says.
They decided to knock down what didn’t work and sympathetically restore the better elements of the existing house, enhancing it with a new extension at the back. As the house wasn’t listed, planning went through without a hitch.