“We’d never seen anything like it – we were totally blown away,” said Simon Siegel when we went to visit him and his wife, Monica, at their 1970s mid-century home in Nottinghamshire in 2019 for our My Modern House series. Simon’s words echoed our feelings exactly: we were blown away not only by the brilliance of architect David Shelley’s original design, but also by how Monica and Simon lived in it so sympathetically and stylishly, for that matter – a true one-of-a-kind.

For our second visit, we’ve brought our film kit with us to take you on an immersive tour of the house, which comprises a raised single storey, accessed via a spiral staircase and built into a hillside. Large picture windows frame the surrounding views of trees in almost every direction, creating an impression, as Simon puts it,“that’s quite spectacular”.

Adding to the spectacle are the furniture, lighting, art and objects that the couple have been compiling for 30 years, from the time they had a stall at Camden Market in the 1980s and throughout Simon’s time running contemporary store Atomic Interiors – listen out for his tips on furnishing a home in the film. Other features that make this house special are how light pours into the space through a planted central courtyard, and how in the living room a sunken conversation pit is a true marker of the era the house was built in.

“I have nightmares about moving somewhere else and thinking, ‘What have we done?’” admits Monica, and we have to say, if we lived in the house, our dreams would be haunted by the same thoughts. Watch the film now to understand why we have a serious case of house envy for this mid-century gem, that even has its own indoor swimming pool. While you’re there, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to never miss one of our weekly-released episodes. Happy watching.