Stylish modern Suffolk eco-home in conservation area

The owners of this stylish project in Suffolk set out to create a home that would celebrate its unique setting whilst delivering the comfort and efficiency of a contemporary eco house.

The historic walled garden plot had long been identified as suitable for development finding the balance between the requirements of a conservation area with the desire for a stylish modern home was the key for securing permission.

Location: Wickham Market, Suffolk
Product/s: SUNFLEX SVG20 sliding doors in door and sliding window configurations, SAF aluminium windows and single door
SUNFLEX UK Distributor: The Burgess Group
Project architect: Vision Design and Planning Consultants

The site had been the home of local craftsmen including cobblers and tanners for hundreds of years, but the cleverly re-designed plot is now the setting for this stunning contemporary eco home which is itself set within the walls of the previous garden plot.

Natural light at the heart of the design

As the owners of this project are also artists/designers, as much natural light as possible had to be considered when making any decision in relation to the property. Every opportunity had to be taken to allow as much natural light in as possible and to draw attention to any views from within the property. The transition from inside to out was also very important when designing the doors and windows for the property.

Achieving this vision relied on selecting glazing systems capable of combining minimalist aesthetics with exceptional performance and the owners took on a friend’s recommendation to visit the The Burgess Group showroom in Woodbridge.

During the visit they were able to get a feel for the quality of the products, and it was clear that the SUNFLEX SVG20 sliding door was the perfect choice for this project. With its ultra-slim 20mm sightlines and ability to create large panels, the door offered everything that the house required.

Creating uninterrupted views

The feature set of sliding doors is the impressive set of SVG20 doors in the open-plan living room. Nearly three metres tall, the three panel sliding door system not only allows huge amounts of natural light into the building, the narrow 20mm sightlines provide minimal interruptions to the views of the garden.

With just a 20mm vertical sightline between the panels, the boundary between house and landscape is reduced to an absolute minimum, allowing the architecture and surrounding planting in the garden to take centre stage. A second two-panel SVG20 sliding door opens directly from the kitchen, providing easy access to the outside whilst maintaining the same clean, contemporary aesthetic appeal.

Perhaps the most innovative use of the SUNFLEX sliding door system at this property is for the main bedroom. Here, the owners chose a bespoke two panel SVG20 sliding door to operate as a sliding window. The large opening creates a unique picture-window effect, framing the view out and breaking down the boundaries between home and garden.

A complete aluminium glazing package

Complementing the sliding doors are SUNFLEX UK aluminium windows and a fully glazed aluminium entrance door, matching the doors with their bespoke RAL 7002 Olive Grey finish.

The subtle, earthy colour was chosen to complement both the garden and the home’s natural timber cladding, reducing the visual impact on the house and enhancing the overall architectural appeal. Like every SUNFLEX UK door and window, every single product was manufactured specifically for the project by experienced fabricators, ensuring the highest standards of quality and attention to detail.

Designed for an eco home

While the visual aesthetic appeal of the glazing is clear, its performance is equally impressive. High performance glazing was specified throughout home, providing excellent thermal efficiency without compromising the slim profiles that the owners had fallen in love with.

As part of the home’s eco-home credentials, the glazing was installed without trickle vents. Instead, the property utilises a mechanical ventilation system to support the overall energy strategy of the building.

Living with the result

For the owners, the quality of both the products and the installation has delivered exactly what they hoped for.

“The process with The Burgess Group was easy as pie. A quick quote, you could ask questions easily, the surveyor was lovely, the guys that fitted were lovely; lovely team. Everything is as I had it in my head.”

The performance has continued to impress long after completion.

“The windows are super-efficient. When it’s cold, we light the stove and have had to open the windows because it’s so warm. We can have them wide open in the summer; it’s breezy and lovely. All the mechanics work brilliantly.”

This home demonstrates how carefully specified glazing can become far more than simply windows and doors. By combining three bespoke SUNFLEX SVG20 sliding installations with matching aluminium windows and an entrance door (all in the soft Olive Grey matt finish), the project achieves a seamless connection between architecture and the house’s location, while delivering the thermal performance, durability and everyday practicality needed for contemporary eco home to function for years to come.

Images of the project used courtesy of Andrew Fryett Photography and must not be reused without express prior permission.