The link room is a bridge in-between. More than a corridor or hallway, at SOTA Architecture, we think of it as an area of transition but also a space to pause. We try to elevate the experience of moving from one place to another by giving such a space its own identity while celebrating the connections with the rest of the home.
I founded SOTA Architecture in 2019 alongside my wife, Elizabeth Twells, with the aim of creating a new standard for today’s country houses. Linking an older property with a more recent separate annexe or outbuilding brings modern and traditional architecture into direct dialogue — a contrast that can lead to striking and inventive design moments.
Here, I share tips on how to tackle transition spaces using five-bedroom Clardon House in Purton, Wiltshire, as an example. The Victorian home, which is on the market for £1.75mn, could benefit from a dedicated link space between the main house and the games room and gym building. Subject to planning there could even be scope for using a link to add another wing to the house.
Technical considerations
There should always be a thorough strategy in place for heating and cooling before you begin building. Solar power can be more than enough to heat a largely glazed link space. Temperature can be controlled by extending the roof overhang to provide shade. Alternatively, UV blocking fabrics can be fitted on recessed roller blinds, which can be motorised. For a cleaner finish, glazing can be treated in the factory with a solar control coating, which cuts the amount of UV entering the space — we use IQ Glass. While effective, this can be costly and slightly changes the colour of the glass.
The importance of art and sculpture
A link space can offer up an atmospheric and visceral experience. In a recent Cotswolds project, we featured a Black Isle Bronze sculpture to create an interesting view. The piece was a scaled-up version of “Galina I”, a sculpture by British pop artist Gerald Laing. We displayed it at one end of a reflective pool, which almost touched the existing barn and new link space. When the water is still it reflects the three-metre-high sculpture making it seem six metres tall. Even without a water feature, a piece of sculpture either inside or outside the link room can help elevate the space, create a point of interest and help to tell a story. At Clardon House a bronze horse head by Nick Fiddian Green could work well.
Materials
Over-egging the material selection or trying too hard to make a statement are easy mistakes to make. It’s best to strike a balance between texture, warmth and minimalist design that celebrates the historic parts of the home. At Clardon House I would concentrate on building the frame into the existing stone wall so it appears to disappear, giving a more modern feel. I would opt for a micro-cement floor from MUK with some texture, yet clean and sympathetic in its appearance to allow the existing materials to stand out.
Stone seating and surfaces
Stone seating is a practical and beautiful way to increase the connection with outside spaces. Taking a moment to pause and reflect in a light-filled room is calming. Cut ashlar stone is a tactile and strong natural material with which to create sculptural seating, while a softer option would be the Otto pouffe from The Conran Shop.
Add a table
A console table offers a minimalist, functional surface on which to display things in a link room. A handmade piece by Benjamin Charles is simple yet impactful, and could be topped with a vase and some dried wild flowers by Chippy Flower Farm to add homeliness.
Ben Twells is design director at SOTA Architecture
Photography: Jim Stephenson; Savills
