When Max and Diana began searching for a plot of land on which to build their home, they had a simple wishlist: the site was to be near a good town with a village feel. They settled on Stoney Littleton, just outside Bath in Somerset. The brief for the house itself, however, was a little more detailed. The couple wanted a flexible house designed around the principles of modernism, with plenty of wall space to showcase their art.

“You might think that building a modernist-inspired house on the outskirts of Bath, a Georgian city, would be an issue,” smiles Max. But thankfully, there was little issue at all. While the boxy design calls to mind mid-century architecture, the timber cladding made predominately from frake, a West African hardwood, was thoughtfully selected to sing in harmony with the tree-lined surroundings.

The interior is telling of Max and Diana’s love of the arts. The smart use of playful bright colours – a scheme created by Diana – brings personality to the white-walled, wooden-floored space. The best bit might just be the Mondrian-inspired kitchen, a fun design feature that, we imagine, makes spending time there all the more joyful. Other artists who inspired Diana’s palette include expressionists Paul Klee and Wassily Kandinsky. The house is fit for practicing artists, too, coming with a studio where Max currently paints landscapes.

Max and Diana took cues from the late Richard Rogers, too. They were particularly inspired by the house the architect designed for his parents, which used room dividers to play with space. In the Aikens’ house, coloured sliding doors – sunny yellow on one side, sea green on the other – connect the kitchen and dining area with the living area. “We knew we wanted to have spaces rather than rooms,” Max explains. Large free-standing storage units have also been placed throughout to establish different zones.

“It has to be one of the most important things we have done in our life,” he continues. Watch the film now to see the house in action and meet Max and Diana before they move on to pastures new. And, while you’re there, don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel, so that you never miss our home tours.