Case study

A new-build project for sustainable retirement living

Spatial Future worked with a fantastic client to bring this amazing yet humble new-build project to life. With high attention to individual details, and the ambition for sustainable living, we designed and secured planning permission for a low-energy home, suitable for the client’s retirement. The layout of the home is highly functional and makes the most of the restricted space, while capturing the best of the natural light.

Location

Leamington Spa

Budget range

£250k – £500k

Services included

The story

The owners are a retired couple living in a traditional detached dwelling, with a small barn that they owned next to their home. Their ambition was to create a new small two-bed detached dwelling in place of the barn for them to retire into.

The project

With high energy costs for heating the old house, the client wanted to achieve a more energy-efficient build that would also be easier to get around internally during their retirement. To ensure the project was efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable, we completed the structure in Structurally Insulated Panels (SIPs). These panels were manufactured off-site, allowing for a faster construction process, superior airtightness, and lower energy costs.

The style

Traditional exterior ● Modern interior ● Sustainable design

The aesthetic vision for the home was a blend of traditional and contemporary elements. We utilised rough oak cladding, red brickwork that matched the demolished barn, and beautiful copper guttering and downpipes to achieve the desired look on the exterior. The interior design incorporated bright colours, ambient strip LED lighting, and an exposed glulam structure, which highlighted the traditional elements of the building.

The curtains were purposefully chosen because they are made from recycled plastic bottles. Because the original barn was quite close to nearby homes and the new structure had to stay within these limits, high-level slot windows were used to retain views and natural lighting while keeping the interior private. The living and dining areas were partially separated by a glazed screen, allowing the view from the oriel window seat in the lounge to be enjoyed throughout the home’s entertaining and social areas.