VESP Architects scheme for a complete house refurbishment and extension to a Victorian house on the Dorset coast has gained planning permission. The proposals include an elegant glass and Portland stone extension in the garden, wholesale internal alterations, and a large loft-extension and contemporary dormer at second floor. The existing house suffered from a lack […]

The Build It awards 2020 judging panel decided that VESP Architects were the deserved winners in the Best ICF Home category with their project Beechwood. The house was constructed by Goulden and Sons Ltd using NuDura insulated concrete formwork ICF, by The Fell Partnership. The design of Beechwood is a perfect example of how ICF can […]

We have the very exciting news of being nominated for this years Build It awards, in the ‘Best Architect for a renovation or extension’ category. Please vote for us here: https://www.self-build.co.uk/vote-now-best-architect-or-designer-for-a-renovation-or-extension-project-build-it-awards-2020/. Voting closes on 12th November 2020. This nomination is for the renovation and extension of a historic Georgian property in the Dartmoor National Park. […]

Whilst this year has presented some obvious challenges, we have also been very busy working on a number of exciting new projects. Some are in the early stages of design development, whilst others have received planning earlier this year and are beginning to commence on site. Below are a few snap-shots of the new-build houses, […]

We have recently received planning and listed building permission for the refurbishment and extension of a house on the Harbourne river in South Devon. The thatched property, pictured below, lacked any real connection with its stunning garden setting and meadow flood-plain. The bedroom provision was also lacking. Below: Existing Ground Floor Plan Below: Existing First […]

Our recently completed extension to a Cornish cottage has been featured in May’s edition of Cornwall Life www.cornwallife.co.uk  ‘An old cottage on the Roseland peninsula has been given a distinctly modern twist with a floor to ceiling glass extension that manages to contrast – and compliment – the existing historic house.’ The clients appointed van Ellen […]

van Ellen + Sheryn  have completed the extension and refurbishment of a mid century villa in Torquay, Devon. The house required re-configuring internally and an improved connection to the garden. A new large family day room with kitchen and dining space has been provided at the back of the house, overlooking an outside eating area […]

VESP Architects red brick extension to a Georgian house in South Devon featured in Build It Magazine. We have taken extracts from the article below; When Howard Horsman retired from his job overseas in the oil industry, he and Denise (his wife) had the pick of the country in choosing where to live. “We had […]

We have the main feature article in this month’s Homebuilding and Renovating Magazine. Richfield House is a four bedroom house, built on a brown field site in the centre of Totnes. Simeon Rich, owner of Darich Construction, approached VESP Architects to design a new home for his family. The project was completed in 2014. The […]

Article originally published in Self Build Magazine. It’s hard to imagine that this beautiful family home was once a wreck. The transformation was undertaken by VESP Architects in Devon, who connected the old farmhouse with a barn and renovated the detached former milking parlour. Each building was also given a sympathetic yet contemporary interior finish. […]

Works are commencing on site for this recently permitted Class-Q barn in the South Hams, Devon. We have produced these visuals during the detailed design development to allow for the design process to be undertaken collaboratively with the client and the project manager. This realistic way of visualising the space, light and materials has allowed […]

Van Ellen + Sheryn’s new build home on the Salcombe coastline features in new Houzz Tour article. Click the link to read on…

Bayview is a recently completed new-build house located on the cliff-top above Bigbury On Sea, in South Devon. It commands an outstanding vantage point with panoramic views across the whole bay, from Bantham right across to Burgh Island. The client brief was to refurbish the existing property and extend it in order to maximise enjoyment […]

Our fantastic Project Managers, goulden and sons are nearing completion of a barn conversion in Moretonhampstead. We thought it newsworthy to champion those who were instrumental in its restoration. When we first saw and entered the barn, back in 2016, we had to shoo-out a couple of resident sheep and tread carefully around the layers […]

Van Ellen + Sheryn have completed a contemporary glass extension to an 18th century stone cottage in Cornwall, alongside contractors Cathedral Builders . The clients wished for a better connection to their garden and to better utilise the garage building to the side of the plot. The design resolved to break open a route from the […]

VESP Architects have completed the full house refurbishment and extension of a character property in the grounds of Creedy Park, Crediton. This project is another successful collaboration with Goulden and Sons of Totnes. The red brick house was once the gardener’s cottage for the Manor House estate at Creedy Park. Extended and altered over the years, […]

We are delighted to announce that planning permission has been granted for a 450sqm. barn conversion in the heart of the South Hams countryside. The proposal retains as much of the barn integrity as is feasible, reusing the existing cladding, whilst carving out recesses and ‘breaks’ to add articulation and human scale. This exercise has […]

van Ellen + Sheryn are exhibiting at this years Self Build and Design Show on the 7th and 8th September, at West Point, Exeter. We will be there to show our latest projects, answer any questions you might have about the self-build process, and discuss your project to help you commence your journey from the […]

We are delighted to announce that our proposals for a new equine veterinary centre has been granted permission at the Dartmoor National Park planning committee meeting this morning. Members unanimously voted in favour of this much needed facility and praised its sympathetic and locally appropriate design. Blackdown Equine Practice will provide a state of the […]

The scheme received planning permission in 2017, and is being constructed by Goulden and Sons Ltd, a Totnes based project management company. The whole house has been constructed using NuDura insulated concrete formwork. These large lightweight building blocks are used to assemble an entire storey within the space of a week, ready for a single pour of […]

Van Ellen + Sheryn’s completed new build house in the Dartmoor National Park, Devon, was highly commended at the 2019 LABC awards in Plymouth, for the best individual new home. The project was constructed by Goulden and Sons Ltd., and engineered by StructureHaus . Lower Linney is a new build bungalow on the edge of Dartmoor, […]

VESP Architects were pleased to recently collaborate with Barnes of Ashburton for the kitchen and joinery of Leign Farm in the Dartmoor National Park. Barnes of Ashburton produce custom made, hand crafted kitchens from the highest quality materials. Their  attention to detail and design approach to the kitchen, utility room, and the boot room provided […]

Planning permission has been granted for this large replacement dwelling on the Devon coastline. The existing house will be demolished and replaced with this significantly larger property. This was achieved in part by the use of a new basement floor that opens up to the terraced garden below the house, and by utilising the roof […]

van Ellen + Sheryn’s refurbishment and extension of a barn in Week St Mary, Cornwall is progressing on site. The proposals opened up the small, dark spaces of the barn to the light and views of the valley setting, whilst providing additional accommodation at the rear with a new ‘black box’ extension. Standing seam aluminium […]

The barns form part of a larger farmstead in the Dartmoor National Park, and will become ancillary accommodation for the main farmhouse. One will provide additional sleeping accommodation for guests, whilst the other will have a bar, snooker table and wine cellar. The proposals are a complex patchwork of old and new and an exercise […]

We have recently received permission for significant alteration to a period 4500 sq.ft detached house in the desirable West Putney Conservation area. The project comprises a complete basement extension across the entire footprint, reinstatement of a double bay to the front elevation, reconstruction of the rear elevation, a large loft conversion with new roof construction […]

Van Ellen + Sheryn and Goulden and Sons Ltd. have won the Gold Award for the Best Large Extension in the recent Devon Building Control awards. This is the latest project we have completed with Goulden and Sons, who provide project management and contracting services to our clients. The historic Dartmoor farmhouse was fully refurbish and […]

Van Ellen + Sheryn have designed a contemporary new family home in Plymouth that will utilise off-site construction methods used for ‘Passive Haus’ builds. The design concept is a horse-shoe shaped home that focuses into a central courtyard – creating a protected space within the surrounding urban fabric. The simple palette of white render and […]

The property sits within 80 acres of land in a picturesque valley west of Moretonhampstead. The historic Dartmoor farmhouse was largely rebuilt in the early 1900’s, whilst its  five stone barns date back to the 16th century. VESP Architects have extensive experience in upgrading country properties across Dartmoor and Devon. We were appointed to fully […]

Lower Linney is a new build bungalow on the edge of Dartmoor, South Devon. Built to replace an existing pre-fab chalet, the unassuming timber and granite walls of the street entrance protect a hidden gem beyond. The large open plan room has a vaulted, twisting ceiling, and is flanked by a huge wall of glass that […]

The new website has a fresh look and feel, and features some of our latest work. We’ve also taken the opportunity to write a bit more about ourselves; how we work and why we love what we do. Check out the new site here www.vanellensheryn.com If you have a project you would like to speak […]

van Ellen + Sheryn  have completed the extension and refurbishment of a mid century villa in Torquay, Devon. The house required re-configuring internally and an improved connection to the garden. A new large family day room with kitchen and dining space has been provided at the back of the house, overlooking an outside eating area […]

Please read the recent article in Grand Design’s magazine ( September 2018 )

This new build, replacement dwelling  sits within a wonderful plot on the edge of Ashburton. The existing dormer bungalow was a poorly constructed house with a number of ill-conceived extensions. Having exhausted options to remodel or extend, our clients decided to bite the bullet and knock down the house and replace with a new  a […]

van Ellen + Sheryn’s design for a built in hearth and woodburner features on Houzz Create order with a plinth If a freestanding wood-burner and a pile of logs feels a bit messy for your scheme, try this idea. The brick plinth, painted white to blend with the wall behind, corrals the stove, logs and […]

Burgh Island Causeway apartments sit on a magnificent site, overlooking Burgh island and the tidal causeway that links the island to the mainland. The 29 apartments, built in the late 1990’s had begun to look tired and were due a facelift. Battered by the coastal weather, the balconies, windows and roof were failing and significant […]

van Ellen + Sheryn’s mid-century ‘Eichler’ inspired home on the South Hams coast has commenced on site this year. Construction is progressing well, with the feature Glu-Lam frame up, and the over-sailing zinc roof to be completed shortly. The owners approached the practice to transform their bungalow into a grand new coastal home for their […]

The team at van Ellen + Sheryn architects attended Carpenter Oak‘s open-day at their workshops in Cornworthy, South Devon, for the unveiling of the new company logo and merger with Carpenter Oak and Woodland. Carpenter Oak are an excellent, professional outfit who blend traditional oak carpentry with contemporary construction techniques to achieve stunning results. We […]

In collaboration with Galion Homes, VESP Architects have just secured planning permission for two new, contemporary houses in the sought after village of Newton Poppleford, East Devon. The site, elevated above the adjacent flood plane was historically a coal yard. Now redundant, this in-fill site will provide two new, four and three bedroom houses with […]

Bottor Cottage is a stunning Georgian property located in 4 acres of woodland in south Dartmoor that has been extensively re-modelled and extended by van Ellen + Sheryn Architects. The cottage was purchased at auction in 2012 and the client brief was to breathe new life into the site, creating spacious and contemporary living spaces. […]

Planning permission has been received from Mid Devon District Council for a new garden extension, full house refurbishment and new veranda to a red-brick detached property in the grounds of Creedy Park. The house enjoys substantial gardens to the south and west which framed by tall garden walls of the same red-brick. The client’s brief was […]

Construction works are progressing well for a contemporary new build house in Ashburton, Devon. Van Ellen + Sheryn received planing permission from the Dartmoor National Park in December 2015 and are excited to see the design come to fruition. The zinc roof by VMZinc, installed by Joce Roofing, is nearing its completion. The roof, designed […]

Planning permission has been received from the Dartmoor National Park Authority for a new garden extension to a thatched roofed house in Ashburton, Devon. Being keen gardeners, the client’s brief was to improve the connection between the house and the large garden; relocating the kitchen from the side of the house to a more prominent […]

Planning permission has been received from the South Hams District Council for a new coastal property overlooking the Salcombe estuary. Located in a wooded area of coastline, the architectural aesthetic chosen was natural materials in a simple palette that reflect the surroundings. Therefore the predominant material is timber cladding, used in panels of either thick planks […]

Construction has begun this summer for van Ellen + Sheryn’s proposals at Leign Farm. The contractor has already removed the unwanted existing extensions and created the large openings ready to build the new additions. The farmstead is located in a secluded wooded valley near Moretonhampstead, and along with the group of 18th century barns is considered an important heritage […]

We have taken extracts from the article below; When Howard Horsman retired from his job overseas in the oil industry, he and Denise (his wife) had the pick of the country in choosing where to live. “We had a home in Surrey, but we weren’t tied to this area or anywhere else,” he says. “Primarily […]

van Ellen + Sheryn were approached to consult on the proposals for a new Town Hall on a derelict plot in the centre of town. This led to a design and competition entry, which although was eventually unsuccessful, we felt had real merit and was a genuinely innovative and interesting solution to designing a new public […]

Van Ellen + Sheryn Architects were approached by the owners of Whitehouse services to assist in expanding and improving their already successful, family run business. Located on the edge of Dartmoor, on the Southbound A30, heading towards Okehampton, Whitehouse Services currently operates a fuel filling station and roadside cafe. The current facilities have poor roadside […]

van Ellen + Sheryn’s design for a contemporary glass and curved-timber roof extension in the Dartmoor National Park gained planning permission this Autumn. The farmstead is located in a secluded wooded valley near Moretonhampstead, and along with the group of 18th century barns, is considered an important heritage asset to the Dartmoor National Park. With works including the […]

VESP Architects design for a striking black and orange village hall in the picturesque village of Broadhempston was completed this summer. The new facility provides the village with a Sports-England grade badminton court; which doubles up as flexible space for other sports, exercise classes, school groups, and a performance space for the amateur dramatics society. […]