Modern addition to 17th century Cotswold home

Set in the heart of the Cotswolds, this 17th-century home features a stylish timber-clad extension – named the Reading Room – designed by George King Architects and featuring 3 sets of Grand Slider II sliding doors incorporating open-corner and pocket designs.

The priority for the design of the Reading Room was to better connect the limestone house with its gardens whilst maximising the views over the valley.

“The original house looks out across a valley, but many of the windows are small, and the clients weren’t able to make the most of their view. The large glass doors allow them to enjoy views from the garden year-round—I was keen to make sure the design was distinctive but made a sympathetic nod to the past and the natural materials of the original house.”

When closed the Grand Slider II doors and flat roof light fill the space full of light, making the garden library a bright and contemporary room, yet when open the doors seamlessly connect the structure with the garden.

The room features 3-sets of sliding doors which all slide into pockets in the walls to enhance the connection with the outside. With views over the valley, a 3-panel set of doors slide into the pocket, alongside a frameless glass balustrades creating a stunning balcony out towards the open fields.

On the garden side a clever single-panel pocket door opens away from the wall on the main house, making it perfect for everyday use and access to the garden, whilst the real eye-catching feature is the open-corner set of doors that seamlessly connect the Reading Room with the patio and garden.

Consisting of 3-panels on each side of the moveable corner post, the doors slide away from the apex into pockets on each wall, creating an incredible floating corner beneath the cantilever roof. When the panels of the Grand Slider II doors are hidden away in the pockets the gardens seem to flow through the library.

“The previous garden was sloped and didn’t provide much flat, usable space. The slope was turned into a series of terraces for seating and planting. In order to better integrate the garden with the house, the garden was levelled, and the Reading Room was built on the same level as the lawn.”

The exterior of the garden library is clad with charred timber, chosen to match the black-stained beams and window frames that are traditional to houses in the area, and topped by a green roof. The Reading Room features ceramic tile floors that continue outside on to the patio, removing the boundary between the interior and the gardens.

The pictures and video of the Reading Room are used courtesy of George King Architects and must not be reproduced without express consent.