GALATEA

Tucked above the still waters of the Lake District, this modest studio retreat is proof that size needn’t limit story. Our clients — a creative couple in their early 30s with their Labrador — envisioned a place not for escapism, but for embodiment. A second home that didn’t feel second. A place that lived slowly, intimately, and beautifully, in rhythm with the landscape.

From Studio to Sanctuary

This compact space offered height but little else in terms of layout flexibility — we weren’t able to alter walls or structure. Yet the vertical volume was its gift. The soaring ceilings inspired the addition of a mezzanine level, which became the primary sleeping quarters — a soft gallery overlooking the main living space.

Here, the design leans into romance: a sculptural canopy bed, draped in creamy, textural bouclé, sits like a quiet monument in the sky. The entire mezzanine can be enclosed using bespoke shutters — a necessary layer of privacy and light control due to the floor-to-ceiling glass partition between bedroom and balcony. The result is a private cocoon when needed, and an open perch when not. It’s atmospheric, tactile, and subtly nods to medieval English interiors — a major conceptual anchor for the cabin.

A Kitchen Worth Gathering In

The kitchen was the second great challenge: our clients love to cook and entertain. We gave them a chef-worthy, compact space with professional appliances, generous storage, and a pull-out island that seats four when extended. The mix of handmade materials, soft brushed metals and classic proportions keeps it rooted and quietly refined.

The Rope Bed, a Clever Surprise

A defining moment in the project was designing the rope bed. Suspended beneath the mezzanine, the rope zone is part sculpture, part lounge, part spare bedroom. When guests stay over, a custom pull-down bed descends onto it from the ceiling. It’s a full queen-sized bed — hidden in plain sight, easily stowed, and completely unexpected.

Guests access the bed via a rope ladder, adding a layer of playfulness and theatre to the solution. It’s a favourite feature among all who visit, and a testament to our belief that constraint can drive creativity.

Views, Firelight, and Connection

From the window seats built into the living area to the balcony arranged around a rust-toned fire pit, every corner of this space was made for connection — with nature, with each other, and with self. The colour palette echoes the local landscape: stone, moss, earth, pale ash. Nothing feels imposed. Everything feels earned.

Designing with Meaning

This project was never just about layout optimisation — though we did plenty of that. It was about conjuring a sense of story. The materials are mostly local, natural, and sustainable. The silhouettes draw from history, but feel fresh. Every texture invites touch. Every light moment is balanced by shadow.

The Lake District Cabin isn’t just a hideaway. It’s a home, fully felt — and fully lived.

JG x