Alice in Dinderland

Dinder House, a historic Georgian building in Somerset, England, is like a child’s drawing of a house: three stories high, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a slate roof. Completed in 1801 it sits on 23 acres of landscaped and walled gardens in a valley. Like many large old English houses, Dinder House was converted to commercial use in recent times, but in 2004 it was bought to be transformed to a private residence for a modern family. The mastermind designer behind this whimsical transformation – Ilse Crawford

Georgian manner houses make amazing family homes… if you can afford one! The proportions of the rooms and the access to natural light make them extremely comfortable and liveable spaces. Dinder House is an iconic, well-built building. The only tricky thing is how to apply it to contemporary life. Crawford has rationalised the 30+ rooms by transforming such grand spaces as the Ballroom into a kitchen and Lego play room – a space which for a family of 6 is used every day rather than just on an odd occasion. The deep purple brown of the walls plays against the expansive match booked kitchen island bench; but rather than feeling overwhelming it feels calm and warm.

There is something almost Alice in Wonderland about Dinder House. Changes in scale and proportion with unexpected elements seem to appear alongside one another in playful discourse. This approach makes the house beautiful and welcoming — and fun, respecting its history without leaving it stuck in its period or turning it into an artificial version of a stately home. New sits happily alongside old.

Story by Nic Kaiko Follow him on Instagram kaiko_design