Surrey Country House
Set in 35 acres of the Surrey Hills, Millhanger Farmhouse is the latest project by leading property developer, Finchatton. We were approached by the studio to introduce some Sims Hilditch design flair to this thoughtfully designed family home.
The carefully considered architecture of Millhanger Farmhouse is the result of a collaboration with Cirencester-based Yiangou Architects and Finchatton. Designed on a striking butterfly plan with wings spanning out from the central core to maximise natural light and take advantage of the long views achieved from its elevated position.
Architect Ross Sharpe, director of Yiangou Architects, refers to Millhanger as “A particularly English vision” continuing, “This house is quite unique, with the highest standards of design and materiality, and all highly planned with sustainability in mind, incorporating a ground source heat pump and solar panels discreetly within the roof scape.”
The house combines family living with entertaining, alongside several formal and family rooms, six bedrooms and staff accommodation. We were asked to introduce our signature design schemes to appeal to a country home buyer with a taste for traditional yet timeless interiors.
Taking inspiration from the Arts-and-Crafts movement as well as the rural setting of the property, we chose elements that would resonate with the language of the building in a contemporary way. While keeping most of the colour schemes neutral, we brought in details such as bold and contemporary wallpaper in the powder room and introduced pattern to the inlay panels of the built-in joinery to add character and interest.
Organic shapes were chosen throughout the house, including an eye-catching oak-leafed chandelier for the family room. Meanwhile, we used unique tones and textures in rooms such as the boot room and upstairs laundry room in order to demonstrate what could be done should the new owner want to take a bolder step with the interiors.
Elsewhere, limed oak has been used throughout for panel detailing, along with the introduction of specialist plasterwork and cornice detailing and handsome staircases inspired by the American ‘shingle style’ house of the American Arts and Crafts movement.
The ultimate aim was to ensure the house would stand out and feel memorable to the client while opening up the opportunity to stamp their own mark at the same time.
To date, Finchatton has designed and managed over 100 major development projects both in London and cities around the world, including Twenty Grosvenor Square and The Whiteley in Bayswater.
