Houzz Tour: A West Sussex Holiday Home Gets a New England Makeover
An extensive renovation transformed a small house into this rambling, cosy weekend retreat packed with coastal character
Architect Simon Randell worked in collaboration with interior designer Lizzie Stueck on a glorious renovation of this West Sussex home close to Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve, a project that was not without its challenges. The architect and designer began the project for the previous owners, but after more or less demolishing the original three-bedroom house on the site, work dramatically ground to a halt when the owners hit a snag. ‘Unfortunately, they ran out of funds,’ recalls Simon. ‘They were renovating their main home in London simultaneously, and unforeseen costs meant that something had to give, so this project was abandoned.’
Incredibly, Simon was aware of a former client who was also searching for a weekend retreat in the area. ‘I called them immediately and they came to look at the site the next day. Just weeks later they’d bought it!’
The new owners recommissioned Simon to work on the project, with a revised brief to transform the site into a robust, casual family home with a nod to New England style. ‘I worked in America for 10 years and renovated a number of New England properties, so it was a wonderful opportunity to apply my first-hand knowledge,’ he explains.
The substantial renovation and extension project, which took 18 months in total, delivered a relaxed, comfortable home with generous family living areas and impeccable attention to detail. ‘The owners wanted a place where they could turn up on a Friday evening and ease seamlessly into a relaxing weekend,’ Simon explains. ‘The devil is in the detail in this house, but nothing shouts for attention.’
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here The property is a weekend retreat for a family with two young children
Location Close to Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve in West Sussex
Date built Original house 1960; renovation completed 2012
Architect Simon Randell at Randell Design Group
Interior Designer Lizzie Stueck of Driftwood & Velvet Interiors
Size 7 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms
Incredibly, Simon was aware of a former client who was also searching for a weekend retreat in the area. ‘I called them immediately and they came to look at the site the next day. Just weeks later they’d bought it!’
The new owners recommissioned Simon to work on the project, with a revised brief to transform the site into a robust, casual family home with a nod to New England style. ‘I worked in America for 10 years and renovated a number of New England properties, so it was a wonderful opportunity to apply my first-hand knowledge,’ he explains.
The substantial renovation and extension project, which took 18 months in total, delivered a relaxed, comfortable home with generous family living areas and impeccable attention to detail. ‘The owners wanted a place where they could turn up on a Friday evening and ease seamlessly into a relaxing weekend,’ Simon explains. ‘The devil is in the detail in this house, but nothing shouts for attention.’
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here The property is a weekend retreat for a family with two young children
Location Close to Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve in West Sussex
Date built Original house 1960; renovation completed 2012
Architect Simon Randell at Randell Design Group
Interior Designer Lizzie Stueck of Driftwood & Velvet Interiors
Size 7 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms
After integrating the garage on the left into the main body of the house, Simon transformed the previously ugly exterior by removing shabby painted wood, coarse bricks and concrete tiles. He created the dazzling New England-style facade using Cape Cod cladding, where the paint is impregnated into the timber and is perfectly suited to withstanding the harsh coastal environment.
‘We used cedar shingles on the roof – they are basically like tiles and are used a lot in America,’ explains Simon. ‘They’re incredibly durable and silver beautifully over time, so the roof will have a lovely coastal feel in a year or two.’
Simon is currently working on phase two of the project, which is to integrate a pool house into the generous garden.
Simon is currently working on phase two of the project, which is to integrate a pool house into the generous garden.
The spacious open-plan kitchen and dining area is perfect for relaxed family living. ‘The kitchen and the old carpenter’s bench that forms the dining table are very usable and versatile,’ explains Simon. ‘The family wanted something that was easy to use and maintain, so they can maximise their enjoyment time at the weekends.
‘The interior has been kept quite soft,’ he adds. ‘The old carpenter’s bench has a lovely rugged feel and I sanded down the painted oak floor so it looks quite irregular and beachy.’
Kitchen, Handmade Kitchens of Christchurch. Island clad in reclaimed wood.
‘The interior has been kept quite soft,’ he adds. ‘The old carpenter’s bench has a lovely rugged feel and I sanded down the painted oak floor so it looks quite irregular and beachy.’
Kitchen, Handmade Kitchens of Christchurch. Island clad in reclaimed wood.
White Tolix bar stools add a note of industrial style to the kitchen, while globe pendants above the island inject a touch of drama.
‘The kitchen cabinetry is bespoke, but it’s designed to melt effortlessly into the background,’ explains Simon. ‘It’s all very restful – nothing shouts for attention in this space.’
Replica Tolix bar stools, Cult Furniture. Large globe pendant lights, Davey Lighting.
See how to create the perfect space for an informal kitchen supper
‘The kitchen cabinetry is bespoke, but it’s designed to melt effortlessly into the background,’ explains Simon. ‘It’s all very restful – nothing shouts for attention in this space.’
Replica Tolix bar stools, Cult Furniture. Large globe pendant lights, Davey Lighting.
See how to create the perfect space for an informal kitchen supper
Built-in banquettes hug the corner of the kitchen-diner and are a favourite spot for the couple’s children to sit and read. ‘They also conceal speakers, as well as generous amounts of storage – which helps make this a great space for entertaining,’ reveals Simon. ‘There’s plenty of space, and clutter can just be popped underneath the seating when guests arrive.’
The spacious family dining table is actually an old carpenter’s bench that Lizzie sourced. ‘It’s been very popular. I’ve actually recreated it on other projects using salvaged wood for a similar effect,’ he says.
Tolix ‘A’ dining chair, John Lewis.
Tolix ‘A’ dining chair, John Lewis.
Plantation shutters, built-in units and tongue and groove wainscoting successfully create an authentic New England feel in the family sitting room.
‘The client went for an informal beach scheme in this room,’ explains Simon. ‘With the soft greys and blues, it’s very subtle, but all the different elements come together to create a calming, beautiful space.’
Read expert advice on dressing windows
‘The client went for an informal beach scheme in this room,’ explains Simon. ‘With the soft greys and blues, it’s very subtle, but all the different elements come together to create a calming, beautiful space.’
Read expert advice on dressing windows
This corridor links the living room and kitchen-diner on the ground floor, and the master bedroom with the other bedrooms upstairs. ‘This is essentially the landing area. We kept it as open as possible to enhance the views from the floor-to-ceiling windows,’ explains Simon. ‘There’s actually a bridge linking the master bedroom to the rest of the house with incredible views of the ocean in the distance.’
Industrial pendants and vintage furniture was sourced by Lizzie from a salvage yard and restored to give the house a timeless appeal. ‘The electrician initially refused to fit the pendants,’ he recalls. ‘They’re a little rusty and he thought they were faulty, but the owners actually enjoy the distressed look and wanted to keep it.’
Discover stylish ways to mix old and new
Industrial pendants and vintage furniture was sourced by Lizzie from a salvage yard and restored to give the house a timeless appeal. ‘The electrician initially refused to fit the pendants,’ he recalls. ‘They’re a little rusty and he thought they were faulty, but the owners actually enjoy the distressed look and wanted to keep it.’
Discover stylish ways to mix old and new
A slouchy sofa in the master bedroom is the perfect spot from which to view the ocean through a gap in the landscape. This room opens onto a private decking area via bifold doors.
‘The family lead very busy lives, so establishing connections with the landscape was very important to the design,’ explains Simon. ‘It’s incredibly relaxing here.’
Antibes sofa in linen, Graham & Green.
‘The family lead very busy lives, so establishing connections with the landscape was very important to the design,’ explains Simon. ‘It’s incredibly relaxing here.’
Antibes sofa in linen, Graham & Green.
A glass wall separates the walk-in double shower from the bath in the couple’s en-suite bathroom, while tongue and groove panelling subtly references the New England motif from the living room.
‘It’s quite glamorous in many ways, but we’ve tried to keep the scheme as simple as possible in here,’ explains Simon. ‘It’s an enormous bath, and we’ve placed it so you can look out of the shutters over the countryside.’
Geminus plinth double-ended bath in burnished iron, Albion Bath Co. London washbasin, CP Hart. Hotel handset, Lefroy Brooks.
‘It’s quite glamorous in many ways, but we’ve tried to keep the scheme as simple as possible in here,’ explains Simon. ‘It’s an enormous bath, and we’ve placed it so you can look out of the shutters over the countryside.’
Geminus plinth double-ended bath in burnished iron, Albion Bath Co. London washbasin, CP Hart. Hotel handset, Lefroy Brooks.
Vaulted ceilings in the bedrooms and bathrooms enhance the sense of space upstairs, while more tongue and groove panelling subtly links the room with the the rest of the house. ‘There’s a real dynamism and sense of flow to the scheme,’ says Simon. ‘It’s simple but very effective.’
The panelling and exposed rafters, he explains, link back to his experience in the US. ‘It’s a very traditional way of building over there. It isn’t used that often here, but it really works in this setting.’
The panelling and exposed rafters, he explains, link back to his experience in the US. ‘It’s a very traditional way of building over there. It isn’t used that often here, but it really works in this setting.’
This children’s room has been designed with durability and fun in mind. ‘The built-in beds are made from MDF, and we’ve allowed for extra space so friends can stay over,’ says Simon. Fun flourishes, such as the drawer pulls in the shape of cricket balls and the colourful wallpaper, are family friendly without being too childish, so will allow the space to grow with the children.
Cricket ball cabinet knobs, Chloe Alberry. Spitfires wallpaper, PaperBoy Wallpaper.
TELL US…
What do you like about this West Sussex home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Cricket ball cabinet knobs, Chloe Alberry. Spitfires wallpaper, PaperBoy Wallpaper.
TELL US…
What do you like about this West Sussex home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.