Fresh THINKING

Rachael and Tom Somerville have reconfigured a period house and added a contemporary extension to create a welcoming family home

- AMELIA THORPE

Hidden behind a tall brick wall and large timber gates, Rachael and Tom Somerville were not sure what to expect when they first saw this house. But as they made their way through the gates, they spied rolling lawns and leafy green trees, dropping down to woodland beyond. ‘The house is in the centre of town but with a huge garden backing onto a beautiful conservation area, so it feels as if it is in the countryside,’ explains Rachael, ‘yet we are only a five-minute walk from the local supermarket and butcher.’