ANOTHER COUNTRY

The home and studio of architect Annabelle Tugby is a modern spin on English rustic style and champions simple, sustainable design

- CLAIRE BINGHAM

For a successful home project, often a balance between the architecture and landscape is key. Set in a meadow and immersed in the rolling Cheshire countryside, this renovated 18th-century property with adjoining architect’s studio does just that. The work of architect and designer Annabelle Tugby, the new additions to this old cottage and its interior, which combines vernacular materials with modern detailing, sit comfortably in their rural setting.

The country house, which Annabelle shares with partner David and her three children, is warm and inviting. ‘I’d describe my home as rustic and sensitive,’ says Annabelle. ‘It is designed for family life and I’m happiest when it is full of people.’ Across the garden is Annabelle’s black-timber and white-brick drawing studio. She remodelled a semi-derelict workshop to create the beautiful, light-filled space that showcases her taste for natural, texturised materials and simple forms. ‘I’ve always worked from home but moving here gave me the opportunity to have my work a little more separated, which is wonderful,’ she says.