Getting the proportions of a room feeling comfortable sometimes requires lateral thinking.

This extension to a Grade II* listed country house had a low roof, but the size of the room demanded a high ceiling to feel proportionally correct. A large cover and floating central ceiling section add interest and height but disguise the hidden structure behind.

Colour can really change our perception of space.

On paper, the ensuite bathroom in the attic of a farmhouse of restoration in Wiltshire might not have looked interesting, but careful detailing and the client’s use of deep colours gives a powerful impact you might not have expected from the plans.

We designed this home in Berkshire to have a striking green oak frame and large amounts of glazing, which when coupled with a reclaimed fireplace and grate create a comfortable space for our client.

It is very important to us that the buildings we create have character. This character stems from the character of the place where it is, but also the character of the client.

In 2015 a country house we designed in Wiltshire won Best Traditional House in the The Daily Telegraph Homebuilding & Renovating Awards. The design was strongly influenced by the character of the client and it is apt then that in cover article by Jason Orme in Homebuilding and Renovating Magazine about the project was entitled ‘Character Building’.

The drawing room of this Grade II listed Georgian house we have been working on the restoration of in Wiltshire is a very comfortable room. But the glow from the open grate makes it feel even cosier. The relaxed ambiance this creates is something we strive for in our work, a home that puts you at ease in comfortable and reassuring surroundings.

How much detail is there in a staircase?

Quite lot as it happens. The staircase in this award winning home we designed in Wiltshire is the result of careful decisions over lots of details. A cut string. Scotia mouldings. Full height balustrade. Rotated spindles. Contrasting finishes between riser, tread and string. All these decisions and more come together to create the design we were looking to build, the trick is to make it look obvious and therefore simple…

Old buildings often throw up unexpected challenges… For example, how to access the wine cellar of the Grade II* listed Georgian townhouse without compromising the original plan form of the room it is accessed from.

The solution was perhaps more Thunderbirds than George III, but installing a gib door and floor hatch minimise the visual intrusion and negate the need to bisect the space with an alien staircase. Sometimes our conservation work can challenge us, but the opportunity to work out neat solutions like these is why we relish that challenge.