Thatch End - Kite

The brief

This listed cottage in Oxfordshire didn’t allow you to live. The layout was poor with more than half of the downstairs space not communal and divided into small rooms. It had limited storage, poor heating, almost no lighting and uneven floors. The fire alarm sounded whenever you cooked due to poor ventilation and the conservatory unusable. But it had character, being 500 years in age, with many original features like the oak and elm beams.

The challenge was to make it communal, a space to enjoy with friends and family, bright, airy, modern, and functional, providing modern living whilst respecting the age of the house, and in a sustainable way.

Kite provided a turnkey solution providing the spatial planning, obtaining listed building consent, planning approval through to constructon and the project management of the build. Kite also provided all the interior design including decoration, bespoke kitchen and furniture design, procurement of the furniture/ fixtures and fittings.

Interior Sustainable Details;

Spacial changes; The dividing wall between kitchen and front room was removed to open up the space and provide more light, storage solutions and a new kitchen/diner. Floors were lowered to provide more head height and the conservatory roof was replaced with a more permanent reclaimed tiled roof with roof lights.
A bespoke kitchen was designed made by Kite locally in our workshop using FSC certified birch ply for the carcass and doors,
Low VOC water based paints were used on the kitchen and utility storage cupboards, drawer fronts and doors.
All the kitchen carcasses were built using a glueless construction.
200 year old reclaimed Oxfordshire Elm barn doors were repurposed and used for the countertop, shelving, coat rack, shoe box and new bespoke dining table top,
Edward Bulmer Low VOC paints were used on all the new internal walls and wood work.
A vintage French sofa was sourced and reupholstered locally using sustainable fabric,
Brass light fittings were sourced which can be recycled in the future
The highest energy rated electric appliances installed in the new kitchen
New radiators were installed to improve energy efficiency

“Thatch End” was a cottage in Oxfordshire that didn’t allow you to live. The layout was poor with more than half of the downstairs space not communal and divided into small rooms. It had limited storage, poor heating, almost no lighting and uneven floors. The fire alarm sounded whenever you cooked due to poor ventilation and the conservatory unusable. But it had character, being 500 years in age.

Bruce and Helen were brilliant in the design process. The process was incredibly iterative, given the challenges of the space, but fun. We adjusted aspects of the design throughout the build.

They both understood my needs and wants, and most importantly the sustainable desire. Where possible I wanted to reclaim, reuse, and recycle, using minimal chemicals. The build should use local products and local craft.

A core aspect to the design was the use of a reclaimed Oxfordshire barn door. Amazing craftmanship turn this into worksurfaces, shelving and a stunning dining room table. The roof in the new dining room used reclaimed slate, and an antique sofa given a new life with crafts people from Oxford restoring it to its former glory using traditional techniques.

Every aspect of the design was carefully considered. From lighting placement, colour, fabrics and textures. No detail left to chance, sustainability always front of mind and understanding that the space needed to be a functional family environment.

The result is simply stunning. The space is large, open, bright and airy. The kitchen is modern but in keeping with the building. It’s a real family environment and there are many new living areas.