The Homewood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Homewood |
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The Homewood and Garden
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| Type | Private house |
| Location | Esher |
| Area | Surrey |
| Built | 1938 |
| Architect | Patrick Gwynne |
| Architectural style(s) | Modernist |
| Owner | National Trust |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Official name: The Homewood | |
| Designated | 28 January 1971 |
| Reference no. | 1365884 |
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The Homewood is a special modern house in Esher, Surrey, England. A talented architect named Patrick Gwynne designed it for his parents. Later, in 1999, Gwynne gave this unique house to the National Trust.
Contents
Building The Homewood
Before this house, an old Victorian home stood on the same spot. Patrick Gwynne's family decided to knock it down. Patrick, who was only 24, then designed a brand-new house. It was built on stilts, which are like tall legs! To pay for it, his family sold some land they owned in Wales. The house cost about £10,000 back then, which was a lot of money!
Design and Style
The Homewood was Patrick Gwynne's very first house project. It remained his favorite throughout his life. He was inspired by famous architects like Le Corbusier and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. These architects were pioneers of the International Style in the 1920s.
Just like these famous designers, Gwynne planned everything. He designed the house, the furniture, and even the gardens. He wanted the gardens to fit the house perfectly. He used two special measurements for everything. A 20-inch rule guided vertical things, like window heights. A four-foot rule guided horizontal things.
Inside the House
The new Homewood was built with different areas for different uses. Bedrooms and offices were on one side of the house. Living areas and utility rooms were on the other side. There was even a special area for servants at one end. Below the house, on the ground level, were spaces for cars and the main entrance.
The house is raised up on stilts, giving it a sleek, modern look. It uses industrial materials like concrete. Inside, it has an open plan, meaning rooms flow into each other. Furniture helps show where one space ends and another begins. The house feels spacious and useful, but also very comfortable.
A concrete staircase inside has cool lights hidden in the floor. The house features special wallpapers and clever inventions. These include blinds that move by machine over the huge windows. There are also work desks that can change shape. Many cabinets have hidden storage and even lights inside. Each bedroom had its own bathroom.
Originally, there were five bedrooms, but later it became four. The colors inside are mostly neutral. You'll see shades of cream, white, brown, and black. There are also some sky-blue decorations. A fancy glass chandelier hangs on the landing. It adds a touch of luxury.
Life at The Homewood
Patrick Gwynne used The Homewood to show off his skills. It was like a living portfolio for his clients and students. It displayed his designs, from the building itself to the furniture and small details.
After World War II, it was harder to have staff. So, Gwynne added a swimming pool. He changed the servants' area into a fun entertainment spot. This meant parties could happen on the ground, not just on the roof.
Since each family member had a car, the stilts provided space for four cars. You could drive right under the house to enter. Patrick Gwynne's blue-green Aston Martin car is still at The Homewood today.
When Patrick, his sister, and father joined the war effort, the house was rented out. Sadly, both of Patrick's parents passed away before the war ended. They never got to see the finished house. After his sister got married and moved out, Patrick lived alone in the house for 46 years. Later in life, he lived in the old servants' quarters. He worked with the National Trust to make the house look like it did originally.
The Homewood Today
Patrick Gwynne started talking with the National Trust in 1993. He officially gave them the house in 1999. He had a special agreement: he could live there until he passed away. After that, a family would live in the house. It also had to be open to the public one day a week for six months each year. The Trust also agreed to fix up parts of the house under his guidance. These repairs started in 1999 and were still happening when he died in May 2003.
In 2007, a family named David Scott, Louise Cavanagh, and their daughter Isabella moved in. The Homewood has even been featured on TV shows! It appeared in the ITV series Endeavour and Agatha Christie's Marple in 2013. Today, you can visit The Homewood on certain Fridays and Saturdays from April to October.
Photo gallery
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office of the architect
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garden site of the house
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stairs to the balcony next to the dining room
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wing with the bedrooms upstairs and the office downstairs
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outdoor kitchen under the house
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view on the garden
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swimming pool
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swimming pool with stairs to the balcony
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hall with spiral staircase and lighting in the floor
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garden with rhododendrons
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entrance with the parking under the house
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view on the house from the garden
