Designing Homes around You
Every private home we design begins with a conversation. We take time to understand how you live, what you value, and how you imagine your home should feel - before a single line is drawn.
Whether you are creating a contemporary family house, a rural retreat or a refined urban home, our role is to translate your lifestyle and aspirations into architecture that feels deeply personal and entirely yours.
Our process is collaborative and carefully paced, allowing ideas to develop organically as we respond to the site, the brief and the practical realities of planning and construction. The result is a home that is not only beautiful, but intuitive to live in - designed around you rather than imposed upon you.
Architecture Rooted in Place
Every site carries its own character, history and constraints - and great houses grow from these rather than fight against them. We design homes that sit naturally within their landscapes, whether that means carefully positioning a house within woodland, shaping a building around long views, or responding to the grain of a historic village or conservation area.
From sensitive Green Belt projects to secluded country estates and coastal locations, our work is defined by a deep understanding of context. This ensures each home feels grounded, settled and genuinely at home in its surroundings - not simply placed upon them.
Craft, Materials and Detail
A home is experienced as much through touch and texture as it is through form. We place great importance on the materials and craftsmanship that give each house its character - from natural stone and timber to carefully detailed joinery, metalwork and glazing.
Where possible, we work with local materials and skilled craftspeople, allowing each home to reflect the place it belongs to. These choices are not only about beauty, but about creating buildings that age gracefully, weather well and feel richer with time.
Contemporary, Traditional or Somewhere Between
Our private residential portfolio spans a wide architectural spectrum - from crisp, contemporary houses to classically proportioned country homes and sensitive heritage refurbishments. Some clients come to us seeking bold modern design; others want the warmth and permanence of traditional architecture. Many want something in between.
What unites all of our homes is not a single style, but a shared commitment to quality, proportion, light and longevity. We design buildings that feel timeless rather than fashionable - places that will continue to feel right long after the scaffolding has gone.
No Two Homes Alike
1
Client at the centre of every brief
0
Standard house types or templates
100%
Bespoke design from the ground up
Sensitive to Heritage, Confidently Modern
Many of our private residential projects involve historic or listed buildings - from manor houses and chapels to mid-century modern homes. These require a careful balance between preservation and progress. We are experienced in working with heritage fabric, listed building consent and conservation areas, ensuring that what is valuable is protected while homes are brought confidently into modern use.
Whether restoring original features or inserting contemporary additions, our aim is always to create a clear dialogue between old and new - allowing each to enhance the other.
A Personal, End-to-End Service
Designing a private home is an exciting but complex journey. We guide clients through every stage - from early feasibility and planning strategy through detailed design, technical coordination and construction on site.
Our long-standing relationships with planners, consultants and specialist contractors allow us to navigate challenges smoothly and protect the integrity of the design throughout.
The result is not just a house, but a carefully crafted home - shaped by expertise, collaboration and a deep respect for both people and place.
What's built into every OA designed home
3
Studios in Oxford, Bristol & Cambridge supporting every project
63
Years of residential and heritage design experience
1
Dedicated project team from concept to completion
