Mayfield House, Haddington

After months of searching for the ideal home for their young family, our client settled on a lovely arts and crafts house in the conservation area of the market town of Haddington.

Whilst the house had no shortage of period features and well-proportioned rooms, it was designed at a different time for a different lifestyle. Kitchens were seen as functional spaces hidden away in dark corners, and rooms were designed for specific purposes and offered little flexibility in their use. On arrival at the house, a convoluted path led through the house and created something of a rabbit warren. In addition, the separation between inside and outside offered little opportunity to enjoy the mature garden from within the home.

With a few problems to solve, we began exploring the options, from internal reconfigurations to more significant extensions. In the end, it was one key move that opened up the potential of the house. By adding a rear and side extension, a loop of circulation is created, allowing the home to flow in a way it didn’t before, enhancing the living experience and the use of the new and existing spaces.

A new everyday entrance was created with views straight through to the garden, all the storage a family needs and the all-important utility space; this leads into a new kitchen/dining space with a 5m wide set of sliding doors offering a direct connection to the garden. The dark space that formerly housed the kitchen becomes a cosy living room, making the most of the qualities of the space without making any drastic changes.

Although the property wasn’t listed, its Conservation Area status was an important consideration to ensure the design was seen to complement the house and the area. A traditional roughcast render was chosen for the house with variety and contrast added using different render textures. This quiet palette puts the focus on the form and generous proportions of the design. A large roof lantern ensures the north-facing kitchen will always have an excellent quality of light throughout the year.

With seamless flow, generous living spaces, connection to the garden and hardworking back-of-house areas the ambition for the project is to sensitively adapt this beautiful house to support the changing needs of a growing family over the years.

Location

Year Completed

Design & Approvals

Build Time

Construction Cost

Main Contractor