Lavender House
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.
“Our home became a love letter to our family, transforming the way we live. I never thought that was possible.”
Victoria Cooper
Their Story
Dating back to 1640 this small period cottage with low ceilings, dark wooden beams and a hidden basement underwent a radical transformation and extension not only for the building but for the family who live there.
The original cottage was the victim of a small fire to one end of the building where the former outbuildings were located. This provided the opportunity to create something sympathetic but completely different at one end of the property whilst keeping the charm and period features of original cottage.
Through initial workshops with the family wonderful stories emerged about their three children and their love for Peter Pan.
These stories influenced several design aspects from the bedroom and the window design to the layout of the property becoming an adventure and the theme of ‘three’ running through the house which can be seen in aspects of the interior décor.
Discoveries
During the project two water wells were exposed, one dating back to 1900’s and the other dating back to 1640.
A hidden fire place and bread oven were also discovered. Bricked up in the 1930’s copies of the local newspaper were found within.
Sustainability
An important consideration for the family was sustainability, not simply to remove running costs but also as a legacy. The house is super insulated and incorporates heat recovery technology ensuring their home is warm in winter and cool in summer.
Overall the property boasts an impressive EPC rating of A (without renewables), a huge achievement given the 400 year old property.
