The house was built at the bottom of the sloping terrain to lessen road noise
WORDS SOPHIE GALE PHOTOS CAMILLA REYNOLDS
Rachael and Anthony Locke first met when they were teenagers, but it wasn’t until years later that life brought them together again for good. “I kept our letters,” says Rachael. “When I came across them one day I was struck by what a lovely record they were of that time in our lives.” Moved by the happy memories, she decided to get back in touch with Anthony. Each having weathered bereavement and divorce, they were ready to be reunited. They soon knew they wanted to build their lives together – beginning with their dream home. “You could say the process cemented our relationship,” says Rachael. “Agreeing over each step of the way made us realise how well we suit each other.”
“We love spending time together in the snug and the open-plan kitchen ”
The bridge overlooks the openplan space on the lower floor
The couple have four children – two teenagers from Rachael’s previous relationship, and two from Anthony’s. Self-build seemed like a natural route to creating a home that would work for the entire family. “We needed a place where the children would love to spend quality time with us, as well as having their own space,” says Rachael.
They now live in an elegant timber-frame house outside the Cotswold town of Nailsworth, Gloucestershire. Set in Rachael’s home turf (Anthony relocated from Somerset), the dwelling is nestled among trees on a sloping 4.5-acre plot with rolling views of the land below. The house mixes natural materials – zinc roof, stone walls, steel and oak detailing – with a striking geometric design.