FOR many people living in the country, the opportunity to work from home requires a radical re-think of the way they use space. The result is that many country houses are evolving rapidly; outbuildings, in particular, provide flexible additional space for offices, accommodation and gyms. With broadband creating the possibility of living in remote areas, there is also a greater focus on guest accommodation and space for large-scale entertaining. For many, this new-found freedom is providing exciting chances to create the perfect rural idyll.
The architect Ross Sharpe, Yiangou
Work There are two emerging schools of thought on how home offices are best achieved. Some people are happy to remain in the main house and feel part of the action. Other clients want to detach themselves from domestic life and set up an office elsewhere. Although a converted outbuilding can fit the bill, there’s a growing band of clients who want their workspace to be in an environment that is more architecturally striking. Several are used to working in contemporary offices and want to bring a flavour of that to the countryside; some argue that anything too traditional isn’t appropriate or conducive to a professional working environment.
Play For some people moving to the country, the dream is to be able to house a collection of classic cars in a glass-fronted barn visible from their study window. The alternative is to go underground, a concept with which many Londoners are comfortable. Off this room will be further spaces, such as a temperature-controlled wine room with tasting facilities and somewhere to host after-dinner drinks.
Denne historien er fra September 02, 2020-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra September 02, 2020-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
