Our modern, multi-functional family home in Pannal, North Yorkshire.

We both really love designs from the 1960s and 1970s so when we saw this house, built in 1970, we felt very drawn to it.

The house had been a rental property for many years. We could see it needed a lot of work to restore it sympathetically and authentically but we also had a vision of the potential and we were sold!

One of the main attractions was the view from the back of the house. We overlook fields and woodlands, and because we have a strong connection to nature and our outside environment, we are both very aware of the changes of season. It's a big inspiration to us. We wanted the house to be open plan and light with lots of wood for warmth.

When we started Cimmermann back in 2004 we had no experience but we did share a love of furniture, design and modernist interiors and our home reflects all of this.

Of course, nobody expected to spend so much time at home as we have during the last two years, but we’ve felt very lucky to have a house with flexible interior spaces, as well as being able to look out onto nature.

We've been able to use the play room as an office and the dining space as a home schooling area. 

One thing that’s become very clear to us, is how much a home with light spaces and a connection to the outside environment can have on our well-being. With spaces where we can come together as a family, but also to have our individual space when needed. It’s worked really well for us.

We wanted to prioritise the views at the back of the house and garden, so we installed big, sliding doors and the biggest picture windows we could fit in. We also used natural materials on the floor and the kitchen cabinets to create warmth and to have a tactile feel that connects us with the outside.

In total we've taken eight and a half years to renovate the house. The final part of the project was the kitchen and is one of our favourite parts of the house. We used a lovely local carpenter and we're very happy with the result.

The outside space was very important to us. We wanted to bring as much wildlife as possible into the garden. We have a wildflower meadow that attracts plenty of butterflies, moths and insects. We have resident grasshoppers, a hedgehog and a wood mouse that lives in the shed! The birds we feed include nuthatches, jays, goldfinches, great spotted woodpeckers and, in the winter, siskins, redpolls and brambling. We've designed the outside space to allow us to enjoy the wildlife that visits.

And, of course, the furniture is at the heart of our home. We've slowly added investment pieces over the years, a mix of vintage and modern. We carefully choose pieces that we love. We inherited Ercol chairs that we refurbished with a Bute fabric as well as a 1960s corner TV unit. It all reminds me of being in my grandparent's house. I love the fact that I still feel connected to them through our daily life.

All images by The Modern House

Some of the products we have chosen for our home can be bought here.