How architectural designer Charlie Luxton built a hidden home into a hillside in Oxfordshire
Words Billie Brand
Photography Elliot Sheppard
A few years ago – when Charlie, his wife, Kate, and their two sons were living in a thatched cottage above this very site – the architectural designer had the bright idea to replace an old 1970s barn here with a contemporary family home. Falling in love with the landscape they would overlook, Charlie designed a single-storey house to lie low and to sit harmoniously within it. His palette, for instance, would include locally sourced materials, such as ironstone (we love how he used this to create columns that nod to the “wonderful viaduct piers” nearby). But it wasn’t just about being sensitive to the environment, but being kind to it too: the house has been designed to use minimal energy – it is highly insulated and triple-glazed with mechanical ventilation and heat recovery.
Fast-forward to now and, having lived here for four years, Kate can attest that “it’s a very lovely, calm and comfortable place to live”. The layout caters well to family life too: while the design has a flowing open feel, they are corners and nooks that each member can retreat to, but then the kitchen – “the heart of the home,” says Charlie – is a place where the family can come together. One of Kate’s favourite things about the interiors is the floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the garden. “Because of the position of our flower beds,” she says, looking out from the living space, “it almost feels like they’re coming into the room – especially at this time of year.”
“I’ve wanted to be an architect since I was about 13 – and part of that was about wanting to be able to build my own house,” Charlie continues. “To have done that for myself and my family has been an extraordinary experience.” Watch our film now for a tour and to discover plenty more about Charlie’s home, from the rooftop garden where the couple cultivate produce to the “cupboard of junk”. And, if you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you never miss a new episode.
RELATED ON THE MODERN HOUSE
A mix of materials results in fun, family-friendly flexibility in a Hove warehouse conversion
A couple’s self-renovated 1960s home built on to a 17th-century cottage in Somerset
Architect Ben Ridley on life in his low-energy house in Muswell Hill
Daniel Baer and Jassim Ahmad on minimal living at their courtyard house in East Dulwich
Harriet Verney on her camp interiors and life within a converted Bible factory in Dalston
Pure 1970s glamour at an iconic modernist house, from sunken sofas to an indoor pool
Mark Bonshek and Sabba Khan’s playful Maryland home is a masterclass in materiality
How an architect couple transformed an old shop in Walthamstow into a restful wooden home
Two sisters share the story of their remarkable Patrick Gwynne-designed family home
Designer Sue Minter’s colourful country house in the Cotswolds