A forever family home filled with light

It was far from love at first sight when Hannah and Duncan looked around a 1970s house in Sussex. What changed their minds was the potential to create a light-filled, open-plan living space.

“We were moving from a period villa with sizeable rooms and lots of original features,” explains Hannah. “When we came to view this house, the unorthodox layout and slight feeling of neglect were a bit dispiriting.”

“However, it was essentially a blank canvas and we saw that we could create something more modern and attractive.” 

The couple wanted an expansive, open-plan feel to the ground floor and to have a minimal transition between the garden and the interior. Architectural designers Sloane and Brown understood their vision straight away.

“They are a young family who wanted a more contemporary home suitable for modern living but without losing the character of the original building,” says Phil Brown, project architectural designer.

“We agreed that the primary objective was all about inside-outside living – creating one big usable space rather than a series of separate spaces.” 

The three huge sets of bi-fold doors (the largest measuring 4900mm x 2200mm) across the back of the house were fundamental to this vision, as they create a seamless transition between the outside space and the kitchen, dining room and living room. These generous areas of glass are echoed on the first floor by French doors and glazed balconies. 

Specialist contractor Euro Aluminium recommended the use of Schüco bi-fold doors and windows throughout the project. “We used the ASS 70 FD system for the large bifold doors” recalls MD Gabriel Andrisan. “It has an elegant, slim 120 mm profile and we were able to use the same system for the French doors on the first floor. All the other windows were designed using the AWS 70 SC system so there is a common aesthetic which helps this project really come together.”

The result is everything Hannah and Duncan were looking for. “We spent a long time thinking about what we wanted to achieve. We had done our homework and considered Schüco because of the design and quality of their products.

“Now there is so much glass that the house is flooded with light and even in midwinter the slightest glimmer of sunshine keeps the whole space warm and welcoming.”

For more information on Schüco visit: https://www.schueco.com/uk/ or email mkinfobox@schueco.com