House Tour: A Historic English Cottage with a Contemporary Addition
Photography by Jim Stephenson via Studio Weave
When creatives Tom Baker and Natalie Silk purchased a centuries-old stone cottage in Devon, UK, as a weekend home, they knew the historic structure would need a new extension. The existing garage and workshop were in a state of disrepair, so the two Londoners appointed architecture practice Studio Weave to replace them with a two-story timber artist’s retreat that wraps around the original building. Take a look.
According to Studio Weave co-founder Je Ahn, the history of the original house is unknown: “It probably has been there over a hundred years, built in the 17th or 18th century,” he estimates.
Baker and Silk had a simple brief for Ahn: They wanted to increase the usable space of their vacation home in a sustainable way and create a distinct unit, so two families can stay at once.
The juxtaposition of old and new was also considered.
On the top level, the Douglas fir plywood construction is exposed to maximize space.
Massive windows allow artistic visitors to connect with the bucolic environment.
Downstairs, a long, stainless steel and wood kitchen can be divided into two with a sliding pocket door.
Folding wooden shutters can fan out to block the sunlight from the lower level bedroom.