House For Two Grand Pianos, Macclesfield
Our clients came to us with a wonderfully creative brief. As musicians and makers, they wanted a home that could hold the full breadth of their interests: spaces for playing and performing, places for making and thinking, and a layout that finally made sense of a farmhouse that had been extended and altered many times since its origins in the 1500s. Central to their vision was their piano collection. They wanted rooms that could comfortably accommodate two grand pianos and allow them to host small concerts, while still feeling like a warm, welcoming family home.
We saw enormous potential in the house and its setting. Working closely with our clients, we developed a strategy to rationalise the existing layout, create larger, more coherent living spaces and introduce an addi-tional guest bedroom. The aim was to bring clarity and generosity to a building that had evolved in frag-ments over centuries, while celebrating the character that made it so special to them.
One of the most joyful parts of the project was revealing the original fabric of the house. In the oldest rooms, we exposed the ancient timber frame and stone walls, allowing their texture and history to sit in de-liberate contrast with the crisp new plaster surfaces of the extensions. In the hall, we carefully relocated a surviving section of wattle and daub as an homage to the building’s age. Its fragile, crumbling beauty be-came a focal point, and to our amazement it remained strong enough to withstand the entire construction process.
The new additions take a different architectural tone, reflecting the clients’ desire for light, height and openness. Aluminium framed glazing and white painted exposed rafters lift the ceilings and draw natural light deep into the plan, creating a sense of spaciousness that contrasts with the intimacy of the original rooms. These new volumes provide the perfect setting for the pianos and for gatherings of friends and family.
In the garden, we designed a pottery studio that captures the clients’ love of making. Flooded with light and colour, and positioned to frame the inspirational countryside views, it offers a peaceful workspace just steps from the main house — close enough for a quick cup of tea, exactly as they wanted.
This project has been a true meeting of creative minds. Our clients brought a clear sense of how they wanted to live, and we were able to translate that into a cohesive architectural vision that honours the history of the farmhouse while opening it up to new possibilities. We are genuinely delighted with the results: a home that holds music, craft, family life and centuries of history in a way that feels effortless and deeply personal to the people who live there.
