A mid-century marvel in Stafford that stands the test of time
The three-bedroom home is found in Stafford, the county town of Staffordshire, where the meandering River Sow and streets of medieval buildings form a charming backdrop. When local architect and town planner Brian Lambert came to design the house for his family in 1959, he decided to build upon a site on the settlement’s south-west fringe. Unlike the nearby Tudor buildings, with their higgledy-piggledy beams and lead windows, Lambert’s is all clean lines, natural materials and has a wonderful flow.
If first impressions count, we’re off to a good start. Towering evergreens dapple the light over the winding private road that leads to the house, which is cocooned by a lovely garden measuring almost an acre. Here, mature trees surround a neat lawn and create a sense of seclusion, making sky gazing here on a sunny day a joy. With its sweeping roof and sand-lime brick façade, the home’s exterior is a thing of beauty, but the best bits lie within.
Step inside and the first thing you’ll notice is the amount of light that pours in through the glazing, with many of the windows framing leafy garden views. The use of materials, meanwhile, is simply sublime: we love the five-finger parquet flooring, honey-hued wooden beams and those soft-grey brick walls, which have been beautifully maintained by the owners. A double-height ceiling lends a sense of grandeur, as does the mezzanine level built from timber struts. Other original quirks we’ve fallen for include the ladder staircase and timber ceilings. To put it simply, the current custodians have done a grand job – the question now is, who will be next?
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