Better to have a little bit of something that is really precious than a lot of mediocrity.

I confess that I am not an avid watcher of design shows, some are interesting but others are not particularly inspiring or creative.  However, the episode of Grand Designs that I watched the other week was, and to quote Kevin McCloud, “one of my favourite houses – ever”. 

The house and artists studio which were built on a less than grand budget of £150k demonstrated that when creating a space good design comes from imagination and creativity.  The design was about taking inspiration from the landscape around the property and really considering each purchase when selecting the interior finishes.  When choosing a kitchen worktop only an artistic mind would say that they have chosen a finish which would reflect the weathered larch which had been used on the exterior of the property.  The colours used throughout the interior were simple and clean, the blues and greens complemented the lush green views outside the property and the grass roof was stunning.

When asked by Kevin about not being able to see the full view of the landscape from the mezzanine level they simply said they couldn’t afford to adapt the design and if they wanted to see it they could simply walk outside the front door.  Wise words from people who were interested in creating a beautiful space to inhabit that was within budget, rather than having sleepless nights over financing.