A Monument to Minimalism in Essex

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If popular television shows are to be believed, there is nothing minimal about Essex style, but we want to show you a far different side to the area. With a number of fantastic and impressive homes, Essex is making its mark on the architectural map and we've found a home that makes it easy to understand why.

Minimalist design will always be striking, but when combined with soft décor, the sharp crispness softens to create not only a beautiful home, but also one that would be a pleasure to live in. Gone are the assumptions that minimalism makes you feel as though you live in an art gallery or that comfort is second to aesthetics.

Let's take a look at something we think is very special.

Dramatic proportions

Though minimalist style has been used to create this home, there is nothing small or minimalist about the scale of the overall project! A stunning collection of pristine rendered boxes and columns, this house is a testament to simple, elegant design.

Gregory Phillips Architects have taken a design brief and worked wonders with it in order to create a hill-top palace of perfect proportions and undeniable elegance. We can't wait to see the rest of the house, so let's do that now!

Let in the light

From every angle, this house gets just a little more impressive. The crescendo at the top of a long, winding driveway, this structure and the impact it has cannot be underestimated and while the initial view is lovely, this side angle really shows more of the fabulous design.

It's great to see this vast amount of glazing in place, as not only does it serve to break up the vast expanses of render, it also alludes as to the light and airy interior that would so perfectly suit the exterior. While the garden is yet to mature, we can picture just how lovely this spot will look in a few years.

Large landscaping

To the rear of the property is this terrific terrace that leads out from the main open plan area and as we would expect with minimalist design techniques, everything is long, lean and simple. If the object of this project was to offer vast space, impressive proportions and practicality then all those boxes have been checked and more!

We adore this full wall of glazing and can only imagine how glorious it would be to open up all the doors on a hot summer's day, to really let the garden infiltrate the house. With some gorgeous landscaping completed, this would be an amazing social spot too!

Soft décor

Here is where minimalism gets a little cosier and more homely! While on the outside of this house, stark and sleek design rules the roost, that has been softened considerably on the inside in order to allow style and comfort to meld together seamlessly.

While it could have been tempting to really overcompensate for the simple exterior with vivid colours and cluttered furnishing, we love that the minimalist aesthetic has been adopted here too and with such grace. Pale colours, modular furniture and considered layouts all keep the space simple, yet wonderfully inviting.

Practical spaces

Despite having an impressive stature, the interior of this house has not been decorated excessively, in fact, functionality really is key here.

This kitchen, though not huge, has been specifically set out to allow for easy and relaxed dining, happy cooking and a glorious view. It would have been easy to install something much larger and more grandiose, but that would have counterbalanced the rest of the property. That's what this house is all about; balance. We don't think we have seen many houses that have walked the line between stark and homely so perfectly.

For some ideas as to how you would landscape a house such as this, take a look at this Ideabook: Minimalist Garden Designs. Perfect for those of you who aren't as green-fingered as you might like to be!

Would you love to live in a minimalist home? If not, we'd love to hear why it's not your thing!

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