The legacy of David Mellor, one of the great names in British 20th-century design, lives on in many ways. Most known for his beautiful cutlery, David had a passion for creating objects with enduring purist design.
This gritstone home, located on an idyllic stretch of land in the Peak District National Park, is characterized by its David Mellor no-frills good looks. Headquarters of the brand since 1990, today it is home to David’s son, Corin, also a designer, who lives here with his wife, Helen, a graphic designer and photographer, and their boys, Hector and Morris.
Corin took over the house from his parents, remodeling it for his growing family and connecting it with the landscape. Given the Mellor legacy, there’s a clean-lined industrial aesthetic at work. But there’s also a strong sense of the natural world, with expansive windows on the first floor offering views of the incredibly scenic countryside. "The idea was for an upside down house, where the living space is above the bedrooms," explains Corin. "I suppose it’s not the normal way round."
The family home, which lies at the far end of the leafy village of Hathersage is reached by a long gravel driveway. The grass-roofed garage houses Corin’s collection of vintage cars and boats. He dismisses the idea that having your home open to the public seven days a week might be, at times, invasive. "You shouldn't have to completely divide your time between work and pleasure," he says. "Your work should be your pleasure." And at the end of the day, everyone goes home.
This unconventional layout allowed for a large open-plan kitchen and living area on the first floor, with the bedrooms and bathrooms below. Featuring identical proportions, the kitchen and an adjacent library are linked by a bridged glass walkway, and, again, wood features strongly, alongside lots of light. "My favorite thing is the scale of the upstairs," says Corin. "Plus, it does absolutely everything. The library is a universal space, which is used in the day as an office and in the evening for drinks with friends." The exposed brick walls lend a different feel to the dining room and kitchen, but there is the same truth in materials you can see.
Like his father, Corin isn’t interested in disposable or passing trends. "The greatest thing my father ever taught me about design was: ‘Don’t try too hard.’ He hated pieces that were overly worked, and I’m always conscious of that. My aim is to design something that is good to look at and superb to use—and most importantly has a lasting visual quality, which would still look good in ten years time."
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