Grand Designs has featured countless property transformations, however few are as memorable as Chichester House - a dilapidated 1930s building reimagined as an award-winning eco home. Here we talk with its developers, Daniel and Nina Rowland from Studio Fuse, and find out more about the beautiful waterside home.
Grand Designs has featured countless property transformations, however few are as memorable as Chichester House - a dilapidated 1930s building reimagined as an award-winning eco home. Here we talk with its developers, Daniel and Nina Rowland from Studio Fuse, and find out more about the beautiful waterside home.
Built on an 1.5 acre plot within an area of outstanding natural beauty, Chichester House features floating balconies, Siberian larch cladding, and an incredible swimming pool transformed from a stagnant pond. It also includes a stunning interior with a relaxing, biophilic design, and showcases a number of pieces from our luxury bathroom collections.
Where did you draw inspiration from when designing your home?
Before we had kids, we spent lots of time travelling the world. We loved the beautiful surfing beaches in California and Australia, and we fell in love with the lush rainforests and ramshackle beach cafes in Thailand. We had been to many holistic yoga retreats in various countries set in beautifully natural contexts, and forest spas set in tropical landscapes with boulder waterfalls and plunge pools set within them.
The natural swimming pond is a perfect blend of serenity and nature - was this always a part of the plan?
We momentarily contemplated floating our house over the existing pond, but quickly dismissed the idea, because its water often stagnated and went very green from the algal blooms during certain periods of the year. After all, who wants to look over water that closely resembles pea soup? Due to the stagnation and the resulting toxicity levels in the water, we would never be able to swim in it either, which would be such a shame. We are totally over the moon that we instead converted it into the natural swimming pond, as it has become a key and integral part of the design of the entire scheme. It is something we enjoy literally every day, by simply gazing out at it from any area of the house, or by swimming in it each morning. It’s the best way to start the day!
What attracted you to Lusso, and which product is your favourite?
We found Lusso products online and adored the sharp, unfussy contemporary lines of the pieces. We loved the fact that they are used in luxury boutique hotels but are still very affordable. The composite stone has the most stunning matte white finish and the ergonomics of the designs are so well thought through. We bought the baths in lockdown at a point when people were unable to visit any showrooms or shops and we were utterly delighted when we received them and discovered they were literally the comfiest baths we had ever tried. They completely envelop you and we can fit our entire family of four in one bath!
The Aura 400mm Stone Wall Hung Basin
How was your experience dealing with deliveries and customer service from Lusso?
Our contact at Lusso was incredibly helpful and efficient. Nothing was a problem for him and he remained positive and upbeat throughout the whole process. If there were any minor delays due to Covid, we were regularly updated. We would highly recommend Lusso as a company, and have done so to many already!
How would you describe the finished project? Was it everything you expected it to be?
After spending many gruelling years living in the dilapidated house that came with the plot, the contrast now that we have moved into the new house couldn’t be more extreme. This house and the context it is set in feels healthy, holistic and incredibly rejuvenating. We are immensely grateful to be able to live here every day and witness the beautifully symbiotic relationship between architecture, nature and the environment.
To create a natural look and feel in your home, discover our flawless collection of freestanding stone baths and stone basins.
