Designed around a courtyard to echo local farmsteads, Sarah and Jon Simpkin’s unique new home draws in light from every angle.
TEXT DEBBIE JEFFERY IMAGES DOM JONES
When Sarah and Jon Simpkin set out to build a new home, it was the setting rather than the weary dormer bungalow on the plot which first captured their imaginations. The 0.8-acre site lies on the edge of a Leicestershire conservation village, enjoying west-facing views, and is flanked by a field that can never be developed due to a Scheduled Monument at the boundary.
“We didn’t even look inside the bungalow,” recalls Sarah. “It had been empty for a couple of years and was so poorly built that trying to adapt the awkward layout would have cost far more than starting again. It was also poorly insulated and incredibly energy inefficient, so a new house made much more sense – especially as we would be VAT exempt with a new build.”
The couple had already lived through one extensive project, spending 14 years in a house in Market Harborough they had transformed beyond recognition. “We took the roof, side and back off that house,” says Sarah. “After that, we thought we were done on the building front, but the location wasn’t ideal. We realised we had one more build in us before the children
left home.”
The couple’s son is at university, while their two daughters are in their early twenties and currently living at home, so the family needed a house that worked for them both now and also in the years to come.
They turned to architect Richard Norwood of Leaf Architecture and Design, who had been part of the team involved in altering their previous home. “Richard told us our brief was the most comprehensive he had ever received,” says Sarah, who felt that Leaf’s work stood out when compared to other architects they had researched.
“We wanted four bedrooms for the family, a guest suite on the ground floor suitable for my parents, and office space because Jon and one of our daughters work from home. Living in the bungalow also made us realise that – with farms all around and constant mud – we needed a dedicated boot room, a good sized utility, and somewhere to wash dogs outside.”
The setting itself added complexity, as the Scheduled Monument at the end of the garden is one of only twelve medieval manorial ponds in the country. Bat surveys and an archaeological watching brief were also required, together with a detailed heritage statement from heritage experts Montagu Evans.
Before submitting the planning application, Jon presented the concept to the parish council. “They were supportive from the start, had a list of preferred materials, and liked the overall direction of the design,” he says. “We weren’t going to copy the beautiful old properties in the village, but our proposal still needed to sit comfortably with neighbouring 1960s and 70s houses.”
Leaf Architecture arranged the house as three linked wings around a front courtyard, echoing farmstead layouts in the area while breaking up the building’s overall mass. A section of vertical glazed slats to the front facade creates an unusual cloister effect on both levels that captures morning light, while the entrance has been aligned to provide a long view straight through to the rear garden.
“Richard designed the interior first, in terms of thoughtful space and overall layout, then wrapped it to create the external look,” Sarah says. “Each part of the plan has a clear function, and everything flows. The ground floor guest suite is private, and the children’s rooms are all on one corridor, which can be shut off if they’re away so we’re not heating empty spaces.”
The building’s exterior combines light grey brick with charred cedar cladding, and is roofed in slate and standing seam zinc. Slim aluminium-framed glazing completes the restrained palette. “The bricks were our starting point,” Sarah says. “We went to Manchester to look at another project that used them, then chose materials to work with their colouring. We liked the idea of charred cladding and the zinc roof from the start.”
Leaf Architecture produced a physical model, along with CGI images, to clarify the massing and siting of the house. Both the conservation officer and English Heritage responded positively, satisfied that the design respected its context.
With planning permission secured, the project went out to tender with contractors from Leaf’s recommended list, and Goscote Building Services was appointed. “Richard had worked with them before, which gave us confidence, and they did an amazing job,” Sarah explains.
The family had by now lived in the 1930s dormer bungalow for 10 months and moved out so that demolition could begin. “The old place came down like a pack of cards,” Sarah recalls.
Site clearance took place over the winter, ready for foundations in spring, and as ground conditions in this part of Leicestershire are known for subsidence, the engineer specified deep trench-fill footings throughout. “We had 300 cubic metres of concrete poured over two days,” says Sarah. “It was incredible to see so much material going in just to create a base.”
Jon works in the project management industry, albeit on far larger schemes, and was able to take charge of organising the build, with architect Richard continuing as an advisor throughout – collaborating closely on everything from the colour of the window frames to detailing the cloisters. Sarah also worked to source materials and finishes, such as internal doors and ironmongery, which their builder then purchased.
The brick and block walls rose steadily, supported by structural steelwork to create a frame for the steeply pitched roofs and large, open plan spaces. “The gables give real height upstairs without wasting space,” Sarah explains. “Our main bedroom is vaulted into the roof pitch with a full apex of glazing. I’ve always loved tall ceilings in older houses and didn’t want to compromise.”
Aluminium windows and sliding doors were installed in April 2024, bringing the structure to a watertight stage. Soon after, standing seam zinc was laid across the main roof with slates on the smaller wings that also accommodate solar panels. Charred timber cladding was fixed last, altering the appearance of the house entirely. “Watching the cladding go on was a real high point,” says Sarah. “It looks almost black, but in sunlight through the trees it has a softness.”
Bad weather proved the main cause of delay. “We had the wettest December on record in 2023, and work slowed almost to a standstill, which was frustrating for the bricklayers,” recalls Sarah. The schedule therefore slipped by six weeks, yet the build still progressed from breaking ground to completion in just 13 months.
The ground floor was built in beam and block for stability and thermal mass, with timber posi-joists above. Four 110-metre deep boreholes supply a ground source heat pump, which runs low-temperature water through the underfloor heating for optimum efficiency.
Photovoltaic panels in the roof reduce energy demand still further, while a mechanical ventilation and heat recovery system serves the main living areas, removing the need for trickle vents in the large expanses of glazing. Lighting was designed by a lighting specialist and installed as a wireless Casambi system, controlled either from a phone or by discreet magnetic wall plates.
The staircase was a joint design by Sarah and Jon, fabricated in black steel with oak treads. “We both had slightly different ideas, but combined them,” Sarah explains. She also turned to Instagram for interiors inspiration during the build, a way of simplifying choices and avoiding overwhelm.
In the kitchen, matt black painted timber cabinets echo the external cladding and have been paired with slim quartz worktops and antique brass fittings to soften the effect. “It took courage to choose Pitch Black by Farrow and Ball for the kitchen colour,” says Sarah, who was determined to create a dramatic space.
A partial brick wall accommodates a double-sided woodburning stove between the open plan kitchen and dining area, while also providing heat to the adjoining snug. “I’d always wanted one,” Sarah adds. “Because the house is so well insulated, we didn’t need a huge stove, but it really creates a focal point.”
In addition to the open plan living spaces, Sarah and Jon wanted more private rooms. A dedicated cinema was created with dark green walls, a lowered ceiling and integrated lighting to provide the perfect atmosphere.
Throughout the house, careful choices of finishes add richness to the structure. Engineered oak herringbone flooring extends across the kitchen and dining area into the sitting room, while porcelain tiles serve the utility and boot room.
A panelled cloakroom, painted in a deep Farrow & Ball shade, provides contrast in a compact space, demonstrating the family’s willingness to use bolder tones alongside the more restrained palette of brick, timber and zinc.
During the build, Sarah made a short trip to Düsseldorf with their kitchen and bathroom designer, where they spent two intensive days visiting showrooms for bathrooms, home office furniture and storage solutions. “It was a busy 24 hours, but incredibly useful,” Sarah recalls.
“Seeing such a wide range of products side by side gave us the confidence to make decisions quickly and bring ideas back that we might not have otherwise considered.” The visit helped to shape the detailing of several rooms and reinforced their preference for clean, practical finishes.
Attention to detail was equally important onsite. In the kitchen, a structural column had been planned by Jon to rise directly in front of the new sliding doors, threatening to disrupt the view and access to the terrace. Sarah insisted it be repositioned before the opening was completed. “It was a small change but made a huge difference to how the space flows,” she says.
Some details hold personal resonance. A metal sculpture gifted by Sarah’s parents, titled Family, represents the couple and their three children, its five prongs gradually weathering over time. “It was important to have something meaningful at the heart of it all,” Sarah reflects.
Outside, limestone paving links the house and garden, extending the kitchen and dining space onto a generous terrace. A water rill introduces movement, while new planting will mature to soften the site. Behind the garage, a secluded garden adds variety and provides a quieter retreat.
From the glazed cloister to the darkened cinema, the project has delivered a home that responds to its site and works hard for the family who live there. As the dust has settled, though, Sarah finds everyday life more telling than the memory of foundations and schedules. “We brought our old furniture with us, and are gradually updating things,” she says. “There’s still definitely a bit of imposter syndrome living in a house like this.”