Modern, Light and Open-Plan Interiors in a Former Victorian Chapel

Located on the northernmost fringe of the Cotswolds National Landscape, this former Victorian Methodist chapel has been transformed into a light and modern loft-style home.

Behind the traditional brick facade of the former chapel, you find something magnificent and completely the opposite of the historic building and its former use. Natural materials, light, and space transform a former place of worship into a modern, comfortable home.

The chapel is set behind a low brick wall leading to a private courtyard garden. The large windows and sharp-pitched roofline hint at the light and volume inside.

When you step into the home, you’re immediately struck by the use of English ash and the natural light flowing into the space from above, as well as the regular windows.

The chapel’s transformation is the work of the owner’s sons. One, an architect, designed the new home, while the other, a carpenter, largely built it.

The open-plan living space features the original parquet floor and exposed joinery. The walls are clad with tongue-and-groove paneling painted in a white hue that echoes the ceiling beams overhead.

The living space is flexible, with a dining area at the front of the space, featuring bench seating made of stained ash joinery that can also be used as a full-size daybed.

The sofa, standing in the center of the space, is wrapped by bookcases, while the De Lusso log-burning stove atop a concrete hearth acts as the seating area’s focal point.

Tucked between the built-in cabinet and the staircase, a home office has been fitted with bookshelves above the desk.

The kitchen occupies the back of the room, which is very light thanks to the skylights in the pitched ceiling.

The timber cabinetry with white doors is topped with a granite worktop and a wooden shelf.

The entry vestibule at the front of the house is fitted with built-in bench seating and coat pegs.

A timber staircase, with a Cotswold stone first step, leads you to the mezzanine level.

The main bedroom is partially hidden behind an ash timber screen, letting through light while also creating a sense of privacy. A storage bench runs along two walls.

The en-suite shower room features limestone floors, a marble-topped sink cabinet, and storage behind the mirror.

At the front of the house lies a charming courtyard garden overlooking the village duck pond. It features brick and sandstone repurposed from the renovation, and the seating areas are surrounded by greenery, including jasmine and clematis.

The house is listed for £425,000 at The Modern House.