Top 5 Projects of the Week: Whether You Need an Architect to The Ultimate Country Cottage

Rob Fox—homify Rob Fox—homify
Fotoarbeiten Reetdachhaus in List auf Sylt, Home Staging Sylt GmbH Home Staging Sylt GmbH Country style houses
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Life is short and there's no time to waste. We know this. Which is the very reason why each and every Sunday morning we round up the five most popular articles of the last week and present them to you in our homify Top 5. We clearly didn't squander too much time on devising the title…

So, with the chaff removed let's focus on the wheat! First up we'll have another look at our informative article on whether it's necessary to hire an architect. We'll also visit three London homes that are very different projects with one thing in common… wonderful results. You'll also have a second chance to tour our personal favourite this week, which is a German country cottage that could have been lifted straight out of a fairytale.

Enjoy and don’t forget to let us know which was your favourite article in the comments!

1. Deciding Whether You Need an Architect

Our gold standard this week was our look at whether it's necessary to hire an architect.

Whether you are planning a totally new build or buying a house with a view to adding some improvements, you might be wondering just how vital the services of an architect are. After all, there is a preconception that they are expensive to hire, so if you can do without, you will, right?

An architect will give you access to untold expertise and will be one of the most useful people in your project team, so before you only think about cost implications, why not take a look at our article that asks how vital are they really? You may go in feeling a little bit unsure about the whole topic and finish with a far more definitive decision!

2. The Family Home with Phwoar Factor

Following close behind but leaving cigar-less was this intriguing London residence.

Some homes can take you by surprise with their lavish interiors and while that is always a fun shock to the system, we can't help also loving those that ooze a certain charm and character that lets you know something special lies inside. It's almost as if we are tempting houses to disappoint us, but when it came to this incredible family home on Fulham Road, that was never going to be an option.

Comprising of a full internal refurbishment of a six bedroom house, with new basement under full footprint, rear extension, landscaping and crossover, this is a home that seeks to impress and wow and it does both with effortless ease.

3. A Smart Extension in North London

As in any densely populated city such as London, space is at a premium and every square inch counts. East Finchley, North London is where you will find this newly extended, remodelled and totally refurbished family home.

The mock-Tudor style house sits on an asymmetrical block that was previously not using the available space to its full potential. By extending at the front of the home all the way to the boundary line, and removing internal walls to create more fluid, open plan spaces, the family house is now a comfortable, spacious and light-filled home thanks to XUL Architecture

It's you missed it first time around it's definitely worth a second look!

4. The Ultimate Country Cottage

We were slightly taken aback by just how much of a stir this home caused although, considering just how stunning it is inside, perhaps it shouldn't have been a surprise.

This beautiful country cottage, situated in List auf Sylt, in Germany's northern most municipality, was completely transformed thanks to the creative flair and skilful eye of interior design experts from Home Staging

As a part of the renovation work the cottage's traditional exterior exudes a pleasant and welcoming aura thanks to a simple freshen up, which included the restoration of the original brickwork and thatched roof. As you can see, here, the interiors are a prime example of tasteful and elegant modern design that fits amazingly well within the traditional context.

5. The Two-Faced House

The final, and extremely worthy, member of our prestigious Top 5 is The Two-Faced House.

It's common practice in the UK for period homes to be completely refurbished and converted in order to update and modernise the interior spaces without affecting the traditional look and feel of the street-facing features. This end terrace home in south west London has done just that, with an interior refurbishment, loft conversion and new rear extension.

As viewed from the street, it would be hard to tell any work has been undertaken. Step inside, however, and an elegant melange of timeless whites and neutral tones drowned in light characterise the open plan spaces. A project of Phillips Tracey Architects, the Victorian house has been drastically transformed in order to bring it into the 21st century.

We love seeing you here so mark your diary and check in with us again, same time and place next week!

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