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Briningham House, a grade II listed Georgian country home in Norfolk was bought by owners Hugh & Sophie Crossley in 2015, and they approached Haydon Finch to refurbish and extend the building.
They wanted to remove superfluous outbuildings, refurbish much of the original house, and add an extension that comprised a garden-facing orangery, a standalone flat, as well as a boot room and other ancillary spaces to complement the main spaces in the home.
The orangery was a key part of the design, inspired by Victorian palm houses designed to be perfect for hosting. “A greenhouse had stood in the same location some 150 years previously, so there was a strong sense that we were reinstating something that belonged in this location,” explains Francis.
Overall, the design seeks not to encroach on the beauty of the original home, but simply complement them. “The rooms within the newly designed wing are designed to be smaller in scale and subservient to the grand spaces within the main house,” Francis says.
“We found the only brickworks in the UK that still produce imperial handmade ‘gaults’ in the same style – The Bulmer Brick and Tile Company. Placing this one-off order was time consuming and expensive, and the original facades are of a very high standard, so the architectural detailing and brick laying had to be extremely well handled.”
However, he is in no doubt that the effort was worth it. “Our hope is that the work we have undertaken will patina and age as gracefully as the existing house, providing a durable and elegant backdrop for family life.”
Photography: Paul Highnam