James Ireland began designing country houses in 1976 and has specialised in cottage and country house architecture for the past 13 years. Our small practice takes on a limited number of projects such that each can receive the detailed care that is our specialty
Our work is concerned with making beautiful buildings that comfortably enhance the pleasure of living in exceptional landscapes. We work closely with our clients to understand how they will inhabit the property and we arrange the buildings to provide a variety of views of and exposures to the landscape. The arrangement of major rooms is made to provide both views out and comfortable interiors within. We work to fit out the interiors in detail so that the functional areas particular to country life are especially suitable. The same care goes into large and small buildings.
As the landscape is always the starting point, we are careful to make buildings which seem to suit the locality and that are carefully set into the land. Often the new buildings will seem to have been there for some time and to belong to the local area. Frequently a new cottage or country house will be screened by trees so that, even if quite large, it won't appear large from a distance. We will, in setting the building into the land, be vigilant about preserving the natural assets, particularly trees and rocks.