Overlooking North Devon’s
natural landscape

Devon Bay House sits on a steeply sloping hillside, overlooking the nearby village, and the seascape beyond. Our clients had asked us to create a home that blended contemporary and timeless design, a calm and comfortable space of natural tones and organic materials.

Located in the North Devon Coast National Landscape, this new home needed to sit seamlessly into the chosen site – to become part of it rather than stand out against it, and so we designed a building that deeply connects with the surrounding countryside. It is a sanctuary, bathed in natural light, where architecture and nature meet to quietly celebrate the changing seasons.

The slope and curve of the land required a careful design to bed the house into the existing topography as modestly as possible. The soft arc of the building, solid grounded forms inspired by nearby slate cliffs, and a flat roof echoing the landscape to the north, helped us achieve this. Local materials, particularly stone, added to this sense of place.

The main hallway has a floor-to-ceiling window looking out to a courtyard that frames the stunning views. Deep-set windows and voids in the thick stone walls flood the interior with light, while light timber, natural stone and a neutral colour palette, create a warm and calming environment.

Key living spaces are on the upper floor, oriented to the west to capture expansive views of the dramatic coastline beyond. Dual aspect windows in the open plan living area capture both morning and evening light. Bedrooms sit to the south eastern end of the house, each with private sea views.

Sustainability is woven into the fabric of the design, from heavily insulated walls and roof, to triple glazed windows, ground source heat pumps and solar panels.

Outside, the planting and design promote biodiversity with boardwalks, terraces, stepping stones, ponds and natural planting, generating diverse habitats and free movement for wildlife.