Hay Lane, Horsley, GL6 0QD

Designed in 2011 by local architects Millar Howard, the Larch House is a considered and quietly ambitious family home — contemporary in design, but rooted firmly in its hillside setting above the village of Horsley. The views across the valley are remarkable, and the house has been designed around them from the ground up, with windows and doors positioned throughout to make the most of the landscape in every direction. It is the kind of house that takes a moment to fully take in — not because it announces itself, but because the more you look, the more considered it reveals itself to be.

Built with Passivhaus principles in mind, the environmental credentials are serious rather than superficial — high performance insulation, a heat recovery ventilation system, solar panel water heating and underfloor heating throughout the ground floor all combine to keep running costs sensibly low. A wood pellet stove adds warmth and focus to the kitchen/family room without compromising the efficiency of the whole. For a family looking to live well with a lighter footprint, it is difficult to imagine a more thoughtfully resolved package. You arrive into an entrance hall with a utility room and cloakroom conveniently to hand. Beyond this is a generous living room with well-designed built-in storage and a door directly to the garden. This room flows into the heart of the house: a frankly stunning 25’ open plan kitchen/family room. L-shaped bi-fold doors open the full width of this space onto a decked terrace, perfectly connecting the inside with the outside. The kitchen itself is finished to a high specification with Corian worktops, contemporary cabinetry and a central island, while a long run of bi-fold windows at the far end frames the sweeping valley view.

A light-filled corridor leads through to a 17’ sitting room. This is a comfortable, more intimate space, with its own wood burning stove and again, direct access to the garden. A study sits tucked beyond, and a nearby shower room means this end of the house works well as a self-contained guest suite or ground floor bedroom if needed. It is a flexible arrangement that gives the ground floor a real sense of being able to adapt to however life is being lived at any given time.

Upstairs, the architecture continues to earn its keep. The wide landing looks out over woodland through a long bi-fold window, while a gallery gives a dramatic view back down into the dining area below. The principal bedroom has built-in wardrobes, an en-suite shower room and an angled picture window with a window seat - the perfect spot to sit and watch the weather move across the valley. The guest bedroom has a whimsical small sized door through to an internal gallery overlooking the dining space, and two further bedrooms each benefit from mezzanine levels that adds space and gives them a real sense of fun and adventure for younger occupants. A well-appointed family bathroom, with a long window positioned to enjoy the view from the bath, completes the first floor. The house is tastefully decorated, with clever architectural design touches and character everywhere you look.

The Larch House is a rare thing — a home that has been genuinely thought through, from the orientation of its windows to the efficiency of its systems, and one that repays a visit in person far more than any description can convey.