Stoney Lane Farmhouse

This new family home in Oxfordshire is carefully positioned to make the most of natural light and long views across the surrounding landscape. Its arrangement responds closely to the character of the site, creating a strong relationship between the house, garden and wider countryside.

A sequence of external and internal spaces has been designed around the particular routines and needs of its inhabitants. Changes in scale, outlook and light give each room a distinct atmosphere, while maintaining a sense of continuity throughout the home.

The architecture draws on the familiar forms and material language of local agricultural buildings. A dark, pitched-roof volume sits above a robust limestone base, establishing a clear distinction between the principal elements of the composition. Brushed charcoal ash cladding contrasts with the pale stonework, helping to articulate and break down the building’s overall form.

Windows and doors are carefully positioned and precisely detailed to frame views, bring daylight deep into the plan and reinforce the measured character of the elevations. Together, the restrained palette and simple forms create a contemporary house rooted in the rural vernacular of its setting.