Chaney & Norman Architects

We have a 115 year old villa which needed renovation. Chris Norman provided an excellent plan which was in keeping with the character of the house. He had good ideas for introducing new products and oversaw the project from beginning to end. He kept in touch constantly and was willing to instigate changes to his original plan when necessary. We landed up with a very successful result done in a short amount of time. He worked closely with the building teM and they appreciated his detailed plans . We were extremely happy with Chris’s work on our property.

We’re often asked who designed the home we love to live in. Chaney & Norman Architects would be our go-to team if ever we were to do it again on a different site. Both for their design flair and their willingness to listen and work with us to achieve our brief. Put most simply, it feels good to be in every room of our home. We love the flow, how spaces are defined and linked, and the natural light in our home. The house was designed specifically for our site. We enjoy total privacy from the road and protection from the southern aspect. As soon as we walk in the front door the house opens up to allow unimpeded views from floor to ceiling of the lake and mountains to the north. Views of more than 180 degrees from edge to edge are delivered to every living area and to the master bedroom. The small open courtyard around which our house is built is a much-loved feature. It is open to the sky and fully glazed with sliders, so it offers passage through to every side of the house as well as introducing light into every space. Because of the interior courtyard there isn’t a single corridor in our home. And it’s is a nice sheltered spot for a first coffee. The den is hunkered down on the southern side of the house so you might expect it to be colder and darker. Instead it’s a room for all seasons. We have spectacular views to the north directly through the interior courtyard and the other living areas. The winter sun streams into the den via this courtyard. We appreciate the flexibility to re-purpose the den, made possible by the courtyard. Whilst there is usually both a visual & physical connection through the fully glazed courtyard into the den, it can be closed down to give privacy to anyone wanting “time out” or a separate work space. Adjacent to the kitchen and dining area, facing north to the lake, is an outdoor room we have called our Dropzone. It is nestled a few steps down against the house for wind protection, and to allow for uninterrupted views from the kitchen out to the lake. With the roof continued over and with a glass balustrade, we can enjoy our Dropzone even in mid-winter on a sunny day. Another part of our home we love! We knew we were building a home with energy and thermal efficiency but we have tended to take it for granted until we’ve visited some other homes in winter! It’s one of the behind-the-scene things we appreciate about our house. We love our elegantly simple home with clean lines. Our architect thought outside the square to deliver what lies within the exterior walls

Our builder, Kipton Pearce, recommended that we use Chaney & Norman to design our new house. From the initial brief that we gave, very little needed to be altered to achieve our end result. We are very pleased with the work done by these Architects and we would be pleased to recommend them

I have worked personally with both Chris and Beth on a number of projects over the last few years. As a Structural Engineer, I prefer to work with the likes of Chaney & Norman Architects as they are engaging and collaborative when it comes to structural requirements, which allows us to discuss and integrate efficiencies into the structural design where possible, while maintaining the vision for their project/client. This allows us to create cost savings for the clients, as well as time savings for contractors on site.