Tranquil Riverside Homes

Oliver Leech Architects crafts a serene riverside retreat in Hampshire with their Chalk River House, a contemporary new-build overlooking the River Test. Set across three interlocking volumes—a traditional-pitched front, flat-roofed rear, and single-storey pavilion. The home is organised around two internal courtyards and a central corridor framing panoramic river views.

Materials like Isle of Purbeck limestone, handmade Roman bricks, lime and clay renders, Siberian larch cladding, zinc shingles, and off-white clay plaster walls bring a balanced palette of calm, neutral tones and tactile finishes. Light is gently filtered through triple-aspect glazing, clerestory windows, and courtyards, creating soft, relaxed spaces designed for family life and entertaining. The architecture honours craftsmanship and context, merging vernacular forms with contemporary minimalism to create a quietly expressive home that sits harmoniously within its pastoral riverside setting.

Image Credit: Jim Stephenson