The Architect’s House
Hathersage, Peak District National Park
The refurbishment and extension of an 18th-century gritstone cottage in Hathersage, including the addition of a new two-storey rear extension. The project carefully expands the original house to support contemporary family life while retaining the weight, texture and spatial character of the historic fabric, within the constraints of the Peak District National Park.
The design is shaped by an attentive reading of the existing building. Low ceilings, small openings and exposed beams informed a measured approach to proportion and sequence, with concrete floors, shadow gaps and finely detailed joinery introducing clarity and calm. Materials and tones are tuned to the muted palette of the surrounding landscape.
Within the extension, moments of colour are deliberately placed. A compact WC is saturated in Dutch Orange by Farrow & Ball, allowing intensity to emerge as a counterpoint within an otherwise restrained interior. Junctions and ceiling planes are carefully articulated so that old and new read together, without pastiche or rupture.
Interior layouts and finishes were developed alongside the architecture, informed by the clients’ familiarity with the building and the rhythms of daily use.
Photography: Lisa Daniels
