England is often commended for its unique city homes, proudly showing off old historical buildings crammed together with character in the streets of London and boasting old fashioned exteriors that contrast well with the modern makeovers the apartment has received inside. We wouldn’t be doing the country’s residential architectural feats justice, however, if we didn’t also take a look at the breathtaking homes creative designers have built and refurbished in the English countryside as well!
One such beautifully built country structure is Woodpeckers, a family holiday home with a quirky name nestled into a lush pocket of trees in New Forest District, England. The project was completed by Ström Architects in 2015. The firm, located in Lymington, might only be 30 minutes outside of London, but it’s far enough out to provide them an opportunity to harness a greener space than you’ll find in the city, making the plot much more suited for a holiday home.
Contrary to the old, traditionally styled country cottage you might picture when you think of a “British holiday home”, however, Woodpecker is an impressively modern structure made of clean lines and contemporary angles. The designers kept the exterior “country”, however, by finishing the walls in a gorgeous blonde wood, blending the modern aspects well into the forest surrounding the home.
That same light, finished wood spreads inside into the decor scheme, giving the place a homey feel that some very new contemporary buildings tend to lack. The wood plays perfectly off the aesthetic of the flooring, which is a gorgeous red brick throughout the central rooms. The look of the brick tones down the modern streamlined effect of the modern counters and decor and the severe angles by adding some rustic colour and texture to each room it spreads through.
Large, beautiful windows are also heavily featured in the home, making it simultaneously more modern looking and even more like a holiday home. Thanks to floor to ceiling windows in the bedrooms on the upper floor and some lovely widespread patio doors in a sun room leading to the patio, residents can either open the house to enjoy a warm, sunny day to its fullest or close it up to keep rain out but still enjoy a clear view of the outside world. Either way, you’ll never be far from nature staying at Woodpecker.
Photos by: Luke Hayes
