Adventurer’s Cottage.
Listed Cottage Extension, Hampshire
Project Summary
Location: Hampshire
Type: Extension And Refurbishment Of Listed Cottage
Size: 40sqm
Set within the Hampshire countryside, Adventurer’s Cottage provides a warm and welcoming base when returning from time spent abroad. Downsizing from a larger family home, the owners sought to create a space that felt both intimate and connected to its garden setting, while respecting the heritage of the listed cottage.
House Form was commissioned to design and secure consent for a modest 40sqm extension that unlocks the plan of the existing cottage, creating a light-filled kitchen, dining, and living space at its heart. The new addition carefully balances contemporary comfort with traditional craftsmanship, using materials and proportions that harmonise with the historic building.
The project required close liaison with the local conservation officer to address sensitivities around internal alterations and the discharge of listed building consent conditions. While the clients took on much of the build themselves, House Form remained involved throughout, providing technical guidance and helping to resolve on-site challenges as they arose.
The result is a small but beautifully considered home, equally suited to quiet evenings by the fire or lively family gatherings when everyone returns.
“Adventurer’s Cottage provides a warm and welcoming base when returning from time spent abroad. “
Project Description
Adventurer’s Cottage is a modest yet characterful listed building set within the Hampshire countryside. The project was commissioned by clients who were downsizing from a larger family home and wanted to create a base for when they were back in the UK between their travels. Their ambition was to transform a small, compartmentalised cottage into a comfortable and flexible home that would suit both quiet days alone and time spent with visiting family.
The 40sqm extension was designed to unlock the existing plan, introducing a new kitchen, dining, and living space that forms the social heart of the home. The addition opens the house to the garden, creating a more generous and light-filled environment that contrasts gently with the intimate scale of the original rooms. The design celebrates simplicity, with carefully chosen materials that complement the historic fabric while offering improved energy performance and comfort.
As a listed property, the project required a sensitive and collaborative approach. House Form worked closely with the local planning authority and conservation officers to ensure all alterations respected the heritage
significance of the building, particularly around the junctions between old and new. Detailed heritage statements and careful negotiation supported the successful discharge of conditions, allowing the project to move forward with confidence and clarity.
Although the clients undertook much of the construction themselves as a self-build, House Form remained involved throughout, providing ongoing technical advice, responding to site issues as they arose, and ensuring that key design principles were maintained through to completion. This collaborative process helped preserve the integrity of the design while allowing the clients to take personal ownership of the build.
The completed cottage now provides a warm, characterful home that feels connected to its rural setting. The extension enhances the building’s usability and connection to the landscape, offering a flexible, open-plan living area that supports modern family life while remaining true to the cottage’s historic charm. Traveller’s Cottage demonstrates how thoughtful, contextually sensitive design can breathe new life into a listed building without eroding its character—creating a home that is as practical as it is personal.
“Although the clients undertook much of the construction themselves as a self-build, House Form remained involved throughout, providing ongoing technical advice, responding to site issues as they arose, and ensuring that key design principles were maintained through to completion.”