A Guernsey Stonework Dream House

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La Croisee, CCD Architects CCD Architects Rustic style house
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If it's long been your dream to own a stunningly rustic house in the country but you're concerned about finding one with enough room, brush that fear aside, as there is an architectural firm out there that appears to specialise in some of the most sympathetic additions that we have ever seen.

Far from taking heritage properties and simply grafting a new addition onto the outside, this firm is seeking out ways to integrate modern convenience with rustic charm and they are succeeding. Come with us as we take a look around one of their most beautiful projects, La Croisee.

No trace

What we love about this picture is that you could have little idea that the house had been treated to a wonderful extension at the rear. Instead, you feel that you are simply looking at a beautiful rustic corner cottage that has sat untouched for years. We love the stonework and the tones that it injects into the house, making that pastel front door really blend and pop, all at once.

CCD Architects are the team behind this wonderful project and we just know you are going to be in awe at what has happened behind the façade!

Stunning surprise

Admit it, you wouldn't have thought that the house looked like this at the back, would you? We didn't either, but when we found out, we had no option but to write an article about it, so we could share it!

From the enormous conservatory, through to the medley of additional buildings and cleverly concealed connections, this house is enormous in size and fabulous in style! We love that the blue of the front door has been brought to other sides of the house and used to tie the property together, but just look at how every facet seems to perfectly blend with the next. You'd never think that this had been restored and converted, as it all just looks so harmonious. Amazing!

Modern touches

It's always exciting to see how design teams have managed to meld heritage and modern touches, to bring about a wonderful home that doesn't feel disjointed at all and this is a super example of how CCD have strived to bring the two elements together.

The walkway, a glazed blue/grey frame tunnel, connects two facets of the house but does so in such a subtle and understated way that it doesn't look out of place. It would have been so easy to have installed something bigger, more grandiose or even showy, but by being modest, the design team have allowed the connection to almost melt into the surroundings, so it feels as though you are simply walking through the garden

Perfect combination

Naturally, any house that features traditional and contemporary building techniques and styles will need to reflect the dual nature on the inside too, or risk the house feeling less integrated and La Croisee is certainly not the exception to the rule!

With stunning oak beams, natural wood flooring and light walls in place, there can be no doubting the heritage and style that the property organically encourages, but the owners have been careful to not let that dictate the decor scheme entirely, as they have sought to include modern touches too, such as sofas and art.

Consistent themes

Moving through to one of the bedrooms, we see that the exposed beams and plethora of wood is most definitely a design nuance that has been repeated throughout the house and is used to great effect in every one. With chunky beams adding a sense of cosiness and authority to the living room, the smaller, more delicate ones in this space give rise to relaxation.

We love the contrast of vintage furniture and rugs with modern art on the walls, as it really gives a sense of who must live here and their eclectic tastes. It also shows a loving respect for the original building.

Sensitively handled

Here we are in the beautiful conservatory that we saw earlier and isn't it just a treat? Look up to the right and you can see a glass walkway, which runs through the house, bringing contemporary style and rustic vibes together in a gentle an unobtrusive way. In the main body of the room, the natural stonework of the exterior wall is really taking centre stage and dictating that the rest of the room be decorated in an understated way, with tonally appropriate furniture and extra flashes of the trademark blue. 

The perfect combination of old and new, this home has been created to showcase the talents of everybody involved, from owners through to original craftsmen and everyone in between. Though comprising of many different facets, the house seems cohesive, not confusing and the tactile materials used throughout have made this rustic dream the perfect home.

If you are a fan of rustic styling, take a look at this Ideabook: A Most Charming Rustic Home. We think it will make you look at log cabins in a whole new way!

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