House of Fun: six playfully designed homes
During our recent trip to Duncan McLeod’s house in west London, the architect told us that he designed the house to be “a bit of fun, really! … I think that’s how a house should be.” Feeling jocular, we’ve selected six playfully designed homes.
Cambridge Road, London TW9
The play area of this sprawling family home in Kew is surely the envy of every child who comes to play, being accessed via a slide. It is the work of renowned architect Stuart Piercy, whose masterful conversion of a Victorian stable was shortlisted for the RIBA House of the Year award in 2015.
Sherriff Road, London NW6
Treehouses are hard to come by in London but this extraordinary house in West Hampstead comes close. Behind its late-Victorian façade is a modern living space designed by architect Brian Muller, who planted a tree that towers up through the middle of the space.
The Lost House, London N1
On her Narnia-like house designed by David Adjaye in King’s Cross, Jessica Robinson told us, “It really does feel a little lost amidst the bustle of the train station and the canal… it’s like opening a door into a hidden world and you just wouldn’t expect it to be here.” A sense of exploration runs throughout the house, which has a sunken cinema room; and a swimming pool running alongside the master bedroom.
Otts Yard, London N19
The architects of this house in Tufnell Park responded to the shape of the site by designing a home as a homage to the triangle. The playful three-sided leitmotif is found inside and out at a variety of scales, including skylights, flooring, worktops and even tiling.
Architect Duncan McLeod and set designer Lyndsay Milne McLeod ‘s playful west London home
The inspiration for this collection of whimsically designed homes features a sliding staircase that conceals a motorbike; and this colourful children’s bedroom. Duncan and Lyndsay’s future plans include a yellow monkey cage on the top terrace for a trampoline for Oban, their three-year-old-son, and a garden shed to be hung on the side of the house to satisfy Duncan’s desire for a treehouse.
Winterton Lighthouse, Norfolk
This magical 18th-century lighthouse was converted for residential use and is available as a holiday let via The Modern House. The dramatic Lantern Room at the top of the tower has a wrap-around seating area with panoramic views of the Norfolk countryside, the sandy beach and the North Sea beyond.
Do you own a playfully designed home? We are now booking appraisals for the Spring selling season. If you’d like to know the current value of your home, please get in touch to reserve an appointment.
Read more: Doing it for the Kids: five beautifully designed children’s rooms
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