Our Open House series offers a peek inside some of the homes we represent ahead of their sale. We speak to owners about the intimate details that make their house a special place to live and ask them to reflect on what they will miss. Here, we speak to RÅN Studio founders, Agatha and Robert Appleton-Sas, about leaving London for Bristol, the redesign of their Victorian flat and why plywood kitchens just aren’t for them. Check out their home for sale here.

Agatha: “Leaving London for Bristol was a stepping stone for us, towards a life more connected to nature and being out in the countryside. I don’t think we were escaping, because we love London, but we also love woods, meadows and fields, and living here has brought us closer to all that.

“We didn’t know if we would be ready to move to the countryside proper. Bristol represented a move to a city that has as much to offer as London does, in terms of good food, culture and a big creative scene, yet if we want to be in the countryside we get in the car and we are there within 20 minutes. It’s not too much of a shock either way.”

Robert: “We were in Brockley, south east London, in a very different kind of place that we didn’t remodel in any way. We were looking for something that we could create as our own space. We wanted it to be filled with light and be an open space, which we knew would take a lot of work to achieve.

“When we came to see this flat, the first thing that we fell in love with was the street itself – we were struck by how peaceful it is. It’s very quiet street and tree-lined, and all the buildings are Victorian. Nothing is jarring or out of context, which I think creates a beautiful kind of safety in a way, that feels aesthetically soothing.

“The interior hadn’t been touched since the 1980s, so it was a bit of a time capsule. But we could see its potential: how big it was, that there was a garden, how tall the ceilings were, and how we could get light to flood in from all sides. Our redesign was about playing to the sense of calmness we felt was here, of creating a little oasis.

“A large part of that was the garden, which we tried to establish a connection to as much as possible from the house. We have doors from the kitchen that open up to beautiful ferns and then there are bigger doors in the bedroom, which, when opened, bring in the smell of lavender, rosemary and honeysuckle. 

“In the summer, the scent travelling in is beautiful. And then there is also the little side window, with planted bamboo in front. It moves a little bit in the wind and whispers at night. It’s quite sensual – we love opening the doors to have fresh air and sunlight on our skin.”

Agatha: “Inside, we kept some original Victorian features, like the fireplace, a sash window in the bedroom, which is beautiful and large, the wooden floorboards, which we renovated, and a beautiful ceiling rose in the kitchen.

“We have changed everything else and opened up the space wherever we could. The only place that stayed where it was is the living room. It was a massive remodelling that we did with our perfect architect, Paul Cannon.

“The kitchen was an important space to get right for us. It seemed like everyone was doing plywood cabinets and we appreciated that they looked cool and minimal, which is not what we’re about.

“The whole space is full of things that have a lot of meaning for us. Everything we own either comes directly from our family homes, has a story or is somewhat connected to a friend, a place or a memory that is important to us.

“So, when we were thinking about the kitchen, we wanted to create something that would feel personal to us – something that would remind us of our childhood homes maybe, which meant heavier furniture for both of us.

“We went to auctions in Somerset looking for pieces that perhaps were in a farmhouse one day. So, the island is an 18th-century oak dresser and you can see it has history, how heavy it is, and the craftmanship that went into it. We can admire it is as an object in its own right, rather than it just being functional or being part of part of the architecture.”

Robert: “A new kitchen is not necessarily sustainable, and it’s amazing that if someone doesn’t like ours, they don’t need to put it in the skip. They can perhaps put it somewhere else or sell it, live with it or pass it on. So, I think the longevity of things in our home is important as well.

“So, if we decided to change to kitchen we could take out the dresser and it could be used in our bedroom, be something in the office or it could be some other piece of furniture that we store things in. We like to think about how long pieces will last, or if we could reuse them.”

Agatha: “We have an office for our creative content and production studio, RÅN, in Montpellier, which is just across the park from us. It’s a pretty sweet set up, however we love this flat so much – the light, how peaceful and soothing it is – that we do spend a lot of time here.

“We explore, obviously, and see our friends as well, but we would prefer to invite people in than go out. Our house is sort of like an open house for our friends to have coffee or tea, and it seems like we have people knocking on the door constantly.

“We can have bigger gatherings as well. Because it’s an open plan, we can put a few more tables in the middle of the space, going from the bay window to the kitchen island and have big feasts. That was a big part of the design as well, because we wanted the kitchen to be the beating heart, the life –it’s about food, sharing, celebration, people and coming together.”

Robert: “Leaving London for Bristol, we didn’t know how easy it would be to find a community. We found that people are extremely friendly here and very open.

“There are amazing pubs in Bristol too, and a really lovely food scene. Also, Bath is ten minutes away on the train if we want a different kind of city experience, something smaller and more traditional, so it’s like you get two in one here.

“Then, on the first Sunday of every month we go to Frome for the farmers’ market, and we’re regular visitors to Hauser & Wirth in Bruton.”

Agatha: “I do feel that our lives have been enriched living here, because our network has opened up and spread to a wider community. In London, I felt like we only had friends there, and then friends overseas. Here, we have friends in Bath, Bruton, Frome, all over the place, so it’s a lovely feeling to belong to a kind of West Country community.

“So, we think we’re ready to go to the countryside now. It’s been a smooth and gentle transition to a more rural life, and a very beautiful journey.”