A modern country house on the edge of the meadows and woods of the Chilterns
Situated right on the edge of meadows and parkland, this house in the Chilterns by the architectural practice McLean Quinlan reveals itself gently and gradually. A sweeping driveway carries you down to the main entrance, while a stepping-stone pathway leads you over a reflecting pool towards the front door. But it is only as you step inside the central hall that the views open up, the Chiltern Hills framed by a wall of floor-to-ceiling glass. Alpacas graze in the grounds, guarded by a flock of guinea fowl, while mature trees punctuate and soften the surroundings.
‘When we saw the setting, we fell in love with the site immediately,’ says one of the owners. ‘We had been living in the area for a long time and didn’t want to leave it, so we were thinking about where we might be able to build something really special. When we first came here and looked at those views, it took our breath away.’
Fiona McLean’s clients, a businessman and a retired anaesthetist, both grew up in South Africa and met there, but they have been based in Buckinghamshire for the past 30 years. They brought up their family in the county, but have always enjoyed regular visits back to South Africa with its wide, open landscapes. ‘We do miss the light, the sun and the African skies,’ says the husband. Maximising a sense of openness and light became a key part of their remit for Fiona.
Having decided that the site was ideal for the modern newbuild they had in mind, the couple managed to secure the land, along with a house dating back to the Twenties. This had seen better days and offered a very limited sense of connection to the open landscape to the south. So they turned to the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) for advice on a suitable architect and were given a shortlist of 12 candidates. After talking to all of them, the couple eventually agreed on McLean Quinlan. They were particularly drawn to the practice’s contemporary houses in rural settings, including a 21st-century farmhouse in the West Country in which they admired the combination of natural materials and a modern composition.
‘I think the materials that we use are part of the reason that people choose to commission us,’ explains Fiona, who leads the practice along with her daughter Kate Quinlan and Kate’s partner Alastair Bowden. ‘Our clients seem to respond to the way that we like to warm spaces up by using various natural finishes, such as wood, as this helps to prevent the interiors becoming too stark. Here, we also had a fabulous site that we wanted to make the most of. We oriented the building to the views to the south and gently angled its shape so that the outlook is slightly different on each side. All the principal living spaces and bedrooms look out over the parkland and into the valley, while service spaces tend to be pushed to the rear.’
‘The amazing secluded setting has allowed Fiona to design a house with lots of windows and rooflights, so that, wherever you are, you have natural light coming in,’ says the wife. ‘This was very important to us.’
By the time Fiona started work on the project, outline planning permission for a replacement dwelling had already been granted. The local planning officers were supportive of the practice’s plans for a contextual, twostorey house that features Cotswold stone and limestone cladding, and also integrates energy-saving technology, such as ground source heat pumps.
The central hallway lightly demarcates the two wings, yet there is an easy sense of connection between all of the principal living spaces on the ground floor, as well as with the surrounding landscape – constantly visible through the many windows. The open-plan kitchen with relaxed dining and sitting areas is in one wing, with a dropped timber ceiling over the seating zone that creates a greater feeling of intimacy. A similar idea has been repeated in the main sitting room in the other wing of the house, which is arranged around both a fireplace and the uninterrupted views via banks of south-facing glass.
Other ground-floor spaces include a more formal dining room, with carefully curated views of an ornamental pool outside, as well as an indoor swimming pool and sauna, a spare room with an en-suite bathroom and service areas, including a laundry room and a back kitchen.
The main bedroom upstairs also benefits from the vista across grounds landscaped by Todd Longstaffe-Gowan in a naturalistic style. The dressing area and bathroom alongside are lifted by joinery in American black walnut and a geometric collection of micro windows, which were partly inspired by the distinctive apertures and openings seen at Le Corbusier’s Chapelle Notre-Dame du Haut in Ronchamp in eastern France.
The owners worked closely with the architects on the choice of materials and furniture throughout the house, as well as the complementary exterior spaces, such as the partially sheltered courtyard beside the kitchen. This serves as an appealing outdoor room, complete with a fireplace for colder evenings. Such was the success of this project that the owners later invited McLean Quinlan to return, with Kate taking the lead on a second phase that involved the reinvention of the stable block nearby, including designing a pottery studio.
‘We wanted to build something contemporary, with clean lines and plenty of natural light,’ says the husband. ‘Even though it is quite a large house with tall ceilings, it still feels very warm and inviting.’ The couple are now tempted to embark on another building project, though it would have to be a holiday retreat as they have no thoughts of giving up their dream house in the Chilterns. ‘Every time that we come down the driveway and turn the corner, it feels so good to be home,’ enthuses the wife. ‘We feel incredibly privileged to live in a house like this and want to enjoy it for as long as we possibly can.’
Paul Massey1/10An ‘Imprimatur’ sofa and armchairs in ‘Semio’ fabric in two colourways and a leather-covered ‘Intervallum’ ottoman, all from Maxalto, with a bespoke up-and-over table are arranged on a ‘Stubb’ rug from Kasthall. Cushions on the floating slate hearth in Glant’s red ‘Lakewood’ cotton/wool add a splash of bolder colour. Two sculptures – a steel head by Marco Cianfanelli and a crouching figure in cast iron by Hanneke Beaumont – punctuate the open view of the landscape.
Paul Massey2/10An angular bronze sculpture by William Turnbull contrasts with the curved inner wall of the staircase in patinated steel and stairs in Stone Age’s ‘Pietra Laro’ limestone.
Paul Massey3/10
Paul Massey4/10An oak table by Jonathan Field is teamed with B&B Italia’s ‘Luta’ chairs. The painting beyond the bespoke island, made by TinTab, is by Lincoln Seligman.
Paul Massey5/10A ‘Monogram’ rocking chair by New Zealander David Haig is showcased in the doorway. The B&B Italia bed stands on an Emily Todhunter rug from The Rug Company; the wooden piece by the window was made by the owners’ son.
Paul Massey6/10The long rectangular bath, which has a limestone surround, echoes the Le Corbusier-style windows.
Paul Massey7/10Lined in porcelain with an oriental basalt wall, its sleek look is enhanced by a ‘Mystral’ lounger from Tribù.
Paul Massey8/10Cane-line furniture forms an inviting dining area.
Paul Massey9/10An ornamental pool leads to the garden.
Paul Massey10/10The limestone-clad second storey appears to float as the steel columns and glass below blend with the setting.
