Are you sitting comfortably? Because the tale of this modernist home, which just came on the market, is “extraordinary”, says cellist Jane Caird. It starts when her and her sister Susie Gerhartz’s parents, Dr and Mrs Salmon, moved to Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, for work in the mid-1950s and began the hunt for the perfect home. “There wasn’t much on the market,” Jane continues, “and they didn’t want something bog standard”. “Then someone they knew said, ‘Why don’t you build a house in my paddock?’” They snapped up the site but, as Janes puts it: “The question then was who would design it?” The answer was Patrick Gwynne: the British architect and modernist pioneer. As for the resulting house? It’s as extraordinary as its story.

Gwynne’s most recognisable building is the Homewood in Esher, Surrey, a remarkable 1930s house in which he lived from 1943 until he died in 2003, leaving it to the National Trust. When the Salmons had the chance to visit Gwynne at home (Mrs Salmon, a professional singer, was well acquainted with Gwynne’s partner, a fellow musician), they instantly fell under its spell. Approaching the architect to build their own, the Salmons never thought he’d agree to the project, but when he came to look around the plot – then a blank canvas on a lush sloping hill – “he just fell in love with it,” says Jane.

The now Grade II-listed four-bedroom home has remained in the same family ever since. Spanning 2,150sq ft, the single-storey structure, which has an angled plan and striking curved walls and glazing, comprises a series of bright and beautifully crafted open living spaces. The scheme has a plethora of original mid-century features: divine dark brick walls, wood panelling and an intriguing octagonal window looking out to the garden. Although there was barely anything there when the house was built, the outdoor space has since flourished. The Salmons landscaped everything themselves and “it’s been wonderful to watch it grow into a mature garden,” says Jane. “Being on chalk, you get this wonderful chance to grow winter heather, so the garden looks lovely all year round.”

Watch our film now, as Jane and her sister, Susie Gerhartz, reminisce about growing up here and share memories of throwing musical concerts on the terrace and putting on performances in the large living spaces. And be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you never miss a new episode. If you’re interested in buying the house, request a viewing today.