A 1960’s Home – An Architectural Eyesore No More?

The 1960’s home has traditional flown the flag of the residential world’s ugly sibling – thought of as blocky, character-free and bland. But at AMC Design, we know that this could not be further from the truth. Across the beautiful town of Ilkley and the Wharfedale Valley, we are blessed with a wide variety of homes, everything from Victorian villas to modern 21st century gems, but it is the 1960’s homes that often offer the most interesting blank canvas, from which we can create a new Eden for our clients. We are championing the 1960’s home as our muse for the creation of incredible family homes, fit for the 21st Century.

This year, we finished a truly inspiring project which saw the complete renovation of the property, bringing it bang up to date, while respecting its cool, late 1960s origins.

There is something very inspiring about the open plan nature of homes of this era, often set on large plots with incredible, long-reaching views. These properties make the perfect family home, ideal for socialising.

The property in question, Owler Park, is an open-plan 1960s property, with breathtaking views across the Yorkshire countryside. The owners, who had previously lived in a Victorian house, expressed how keen they were to create a sociable space, in which they could enjoy both a cosy family evening and a large party of friends and family, all while respecting the period of the property. The family’s children were in their teens when they moved in, and they wanted a home which could accommodate lots of young people as well as work well for the family.

The nature of the 1960s property gave us the opportunity to embrace the free-flowing openness of the house, focusing on carving out individual sections of the 60m² living space and creating a new atmosphere for the clients. With such a large open plan living space, the emphasis was on making the area feel cosy, despite its size. We achieved this by zoning the living space, using a combination of existing furniture and new, and beautiful colours to reflect the stunning surrounding countryside.

In addition, we clad the gas fire chimney in marble creating a focal point, which we then carried through to the kitchen. Ted Todd flooring added texture and softness, whilst Atmospheric by Benjamin Moore green painted walls invite the outside in, reflecting the verdant Wharfe Valley outside.

Using the family’s artwork and book collection as inspiration, we installed bespoke storage on either side of the chimney breast, using varied sized box shelving to mirror 1960s architecture of the property. A Tom Dixon Beat Floor Lamp and Heal’s Mini Lounge Floor Lamp have been used to frame the space, as well as creating two, warmly lit reading areas at either side.
Moving through towards the dining zone bridging the living and kitchen areas, we created a new restful, contemplative space. An upholstered window seat in the continued Linwood Omega Carnelian fabric and bespoke sofa, made by Ashbourne Upholstery and covered in Clarke & Clarke’s Tahoma Navajo Earth draw the eye through the narrower section, whilst also creating a peaceful space away from the hustle and bustle to enjoy the expansive views.

Within the dining area, a space was created for the sole purpose of socialising and congregating. This was achieved around the 1960s inspired Heal’s dining table, with the introduction of a bespoke orange velvet banquette, using Linwood Omega Carnellian, continuing the colour hues from the living space allowing for luxurious textures and creating the seating needed for a large family. Above, a generous Mullan Lighting Athens Glass Globe chandelier now softens the space, whilst also drawing the eye through the narrow, ceiling level window to the outside.

To finish the scheme, in the downstairs bathroom, we installed black and white Bert and May floor tiles to provide the backdrop to a strong monochrome scheme, punctuated by a pink Cast Iron Bath Co. concrete basin. The artwork in the space has been kept to a minimum, with a simple FY piece in situ, whose colours match the theme and tone of the space.

Throughout this wonderful northern property, the bold combination of bright, sumptuous colours, the use of light open spaces and textured bespoke furniture, has created a functional and yet luxurious family home, embracing its 1960s routes, which can be enjoyed by friends and family for decades to come.