Bolo's Cottage is an 18th century thatched cottage in a rural village along the northern escarpment of Salisbury Plain. It was the family home of our client, and with it came a plethora of memories and emotions.
Our brief was therefore simple in words, but complex in delivery:
"To ensure this long-held family home is protected, renewed and adapted for a new custodian, where entertaining and bringing people together in a comfortable and beautiful space which reflects the local landscape is a priority."
The existing cottage had been extended and knocked about by previous generations. Some of those adaptations we wanted to embrace; some we were keen to overcome and remove — the concrete floors and cement render chief among them. We also needed to re-orientate the house to connect with the rear garden and the views over the fields beyond, and we convinced our client it wasn't a bonkers idea to have a bathroom upstairs and that a two-storey extension might actually soften the massing of any new addition rather than increase it.
We set ourselves simple rules for materials — clay or oak — and took every opportunity to maximise daylight in the new spaces, to sit in deliberate contrast with the darker, characterful rooms of the existing cottage.
What the brief didn't fully reveal was quite how technically demanding the project would prove to be. The existing cottage had no foundations to speak of — not unusual for a building of this age, but a significant constraint when introducing new structure alongside it. A high water table compounded matters further. The ground conditions made every stage of the construction sequence something to be carefully planned and closely managed on site.
At planning, the cottage's status as a Non-Designated Heritage Asset added another layer of complexity. Whilst this acknowledged the building's local significance and historic character, it required us to robustly demonstrate that the extension proposals would preserve and enhance that character rather than harm it. Our track record working with listed buildings and sensitive historic fabric gave the planning authority the confidence they needed, and consent was secured without significant compromise to the design.
The outcome is, we believe, a sympathetic extension and renovation to a modest thatched cottage using a palette of traditional materials in a contemporary and playful manner, with a quiet attention to detail. The cosiness and character of the original cottage, met with the light and space the client needed to make it truly her own.
"I thought I knew what I wanted for my family home but by working with CHALK, I instead now have the most wonderful space that was beyond my imagination, in a home that has been lovingly renovated for the next generation. Working with Jonny and the team at CHALK was a fantastic experience - Jonny took inspiration from the village and the varied life of the cottage itself, and has delivered not only a kitchen and bathroom beyond my dreams, but a beautiful piece of architectural design where materials, light and respect for harmonising the old and the new has delivered a breathtaking space. Throughout the build Jonny was an ally, an advocate and an architect for me - I trusted him implicitly. He was both adaptable and fastidious, patiently answered my multitude of questions and always remained focused on achieving the best possible result. And what a successful result that has been" - Lucy, Client
