Elevating the hardest-working room in the house to new heights with lights
The utility room of a new house in Wiltshire shows just how important a warm lighting scheme can be.
Overlooking rolling hills and ancient hedgerows, a former brickworks in Wiltshire has been reimagined as a new country house made from rammed earth — a mix of clay, crushed aggregates and brick from demolition waste on the site — and local limestone aggregate.
The pioneering building was designed by architects Tuckey Design Studio and decorated by Todhunter Earle. Sally Storey of John Cullen created the lighting design to celebrate the expressive building materials and support the rhythm of daily life.
‘Our client loves gardening and spends a lot of time outdoors, so she was very clear that it was important to be able to see what she was doing both during the day and when it was dark outside,’ explains Storey. ‘Our lighting scheme was integrated to celebrate the warmth and texture of the natural materials, to complement the architecture rather than compete with it.’
The display shelving on the back wall is softly backlit using concealed linear strips, injecting warmth and atmosphere into what is essentially a highly practical area. John Cullen Vorsa 40 directional spotlights are barely visible between the ceiling beams, introducing focused light on the sink, work surfaces and on the central table, ensuring the space is functional and feels connected to the rest of the house.
Using two different colour temperatures in the lighting — warmer on the back wall and brighter in the functional elements — softens the appearance of the space.
In the centre is a Victorian mill table, from JMR Antiques, Bristol. It complements the stain-washed timber joinery by Orwells Furniture. The terracotta floor tiles are from Terres Cuites de Raujolles.
