Modern Home with a Thatched Roof

April Kennedy April Kennedy
Hofhaus mit Kastanienbaum, Möhring Architekten Möhring Architekten Modern houses
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This classic country home is a great example of how beautifully solar panels can be integrated into a traditional thatched roof design. The Dutch architects Möhring Arkitekten have created an exterior that is almost indistinguishable from the homes of yesteryear, while producing an interior that offers an unashamedly contemporary design.

The property lies close to a village on the peninsula of Dass, a German city on the southern shores of the Baltic Sea. The architects have used many of the traditional local construction materials and this may explain the understated integration of contemporary and traditional styles. But the real highlight in this home is a series of skylights that run along the roof of the main living area.

For beautiful photos and more details, join us on a photo tour of this very unique country home.

Thatched roof with solar panels

Thatched homes of the past had a cosy but decidedly private facade. But this modern bungalow presents a much more open approach. While there is a thatched roof and a traditional red ochre facade, it is teamed with floor to ceiling glass walls on both sides of the building. This creates a sense of airiness that is continued on the thatched roof. There, a series of glass solar panels run along the spine of the roof to really elevate the home into another level of light airiness.

Angular layout

The floor space of this home is just 145 square meters, but owners wanted a single-storey holiday home for around 6-8 occupants. The solution was to build an angular house with two equal-length sides enclosing an existing courtyard. From this angle we can see the small courtyard area, the bare grass lawn and the simple, open glass walls of both buildings. This layout enabled the architects to build in a central social area that could work for a large amount of people, while allowing the bathrooms and bedrooms to be located on the quieter end of the building.

Spacious living area

From this viewpoint we can see the interior living area at the intersection of the two buildings. A generous, built in fireplace offers warmth and a long wooden dining table promises leisurely lunches. While the dominant decor is minimalist, traditional warmth is created by the use of natural materials in the slate grey floor and wooden detailing.

Sky windows

Here in the open plan kitchen is the real highlight of this home – a stunning series of skylights. The minimalist kitchen design has few details and simple finishes of pale wood and white. But it's the skylights that really catch our attention. The skylights zig-zag across the roof and peak into this stunning inverted cascade.

Transparent walls

The glass walls here provide an unobstructed view of the green woodland surroundings. This unifies the interior and exterior spaces and invites the natural beauty of the surroundings to play a part in the decoration of the home. Recessed sliding doors are used throughout the main rooms of the building as well. With up to nine people occupying the space, the sliding rooms are useful for allowing the occupants the flexibility of adapting the space into an open plan layout.

Country bedroom

This home is not just a place for entertaining, it is also a place of quiet retreat for its occupants. While the open living areas offer a sociable area to bring people together, the bedrooms offer a quieter and more traditional atmosphere. Much of this is due to the painted wooden ceiling beams and the older style wooden wardrobe. But the bedrooms are also located on the quieter end of the home to ensure the occupants can really revel in the peace and quiet of country living.

If you are interested in modern bungalows, you would love this Ideabook homify 360º a modern French country home.

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