The Cabin | Paul Gent

When designing The Cabin, Paul wanted something that fitted within the landscape. It’s at the top of a sloping site that has now been terraced and he didn’t want anything that was too angular or jarring.

He was interested in curved shapes and liked the idea of having fewer corners. It makes you feel cocooned, enveloped - the sound feels different. He says: „People are often nervous about curves as they can take longer to build. But as we were doing it for ourselves, I didn’t have to worry about the client accepting a curvy design.”

Even though the space is quite modern, it feels natural because the timber is tactile. It doesn’t frighten people like steel, glass and concrete can. It’s a modern design with natural materials.

Paul continues: „When you have a smaller, more intimate space, white can make it feel cold and as though you are trying to make it larger than it is. I think darker colours and textures create more interest in a small space. We were inspired by the colour palette of an Edwardian drawing room - darker blues and greys. But even with the dark colours, it still feels light.

I tried to create a feeling of height because it is quite a small space. Even though it has an area with a low ceiling, it doesn’t feel oppressive because, just a few steps away, you can see the double height.

We also wanted to make the space feel like a “home”. Each and every thing that is in The Cabin has a story and means something to us. People can tell if things have been created organically and I think there’s something of the English eccentricity in what we have created. There are Persian silk tapestries, 1960s furnishings and disheveled taxidermies. It’s a collection, a curation. There is a theme in our minds and we know what works, even if we can’t pinpoint what the exact “style” is.”