Swallows Rest – A New Chapter
Every now and then, one of our completed projects comes back into view. This time it’s Swallows Rest, which has recently been put on the market (link).
It’s always nice to revisit a finished home. By the time construction is complete, our involvement naturally comes to an end, so seeing a project years later – and seeing how it has matured into someone’s home – is a reminder of why we enjoy designing one-off houses.
Swallows Rest replaced a tired 1960s farm cottage in the Northumberland countryside. The site had incredible views and a peaceful rural setting, but the original house made very little of either. Our aim was to create a home that felt connected to the landscape, with living spaces that looked out across the surrounding fields and plenty of natural light throughout the day.
The heart of the house is the open-plan kitchen, dining and living space beneath a vaulted ceiling. Large windows and rooflights draw the countryside into the house, changing with the seasons and making the view part of everyday life. Upstairs, the bedrooms continue that relationship with the landscape, with carefully positioned windows making the most of the setting without the house ever feeling over-exposed.
Although the architecture is contemporary, we wanted the house to feel as though it belonged here. Natural stone, timber cladding and simple forms help it sit comfortably within its agricultural surroundings rather than trying to imitate an older farmhouse. We often find that the best rural homes aren’t the ones that shout the loudest—they’re the ones that quietly feel right.
One of the most rewarding parts of any project is seeing how people make a house their own. Looking through the current sale photographs, it’s lovely to see the spaces being lived in exactly as we had hoped when they were first sketched out. The views are still the star of the show, but the house now has the warmth and character that only comes from being someone’s home.
Designing a one-off house is always a collaborative process. Every site is different, every family lives differently, and every project presents its own challenges. Swallows Rest is a good example of what can happen when the architecture grows from the place rather than being imposed upon it.
As architects based in Northumberland, these are the projects we enjoy most—working closely with clients to create homes that feel personal, sit comfortably in the landscape and are designed to last for generations.
If you’re thinking about replacing an existing house, building on a rural site or creating your own one-off home, we’d love to hear about your ideas.