July 29, 2026 / By rachel
Colour-changing lighting, a glowing glass staircase and the same poured resin flooring specification used for the new floor at The Dorchester were hardly conventional choices for a family home in 2008, but conventional was never what the open-minded clients at Charlton Park Gate were looking for.
For Week 21 of our #40Projects40Weeks series, we are revisiting Charlton Park Gate, a major Cheltenham house extension and remodelling completed in 2008.
Our clients had bought a substantial but dated 1970s house at one of Cheltenham’s most prestigious addresses. It offered plenty of space for their large and busy family, but it needed considerable modernisation and a more imaginative approach to make that space work properly.
Clients who were willing to explore
What made this particularly enjoyable, and the most interesting part of the project, was the clients’ willingness to explore. They were enthusiastic about contemporary design, interested in new technology and prepared to consider materials and finishes that were still unusual in domestic interiors.
Rather than accepting what would normally be used in a house of this kind, the clients were open to suggestions involving new and innovative products, ambitious finishes and different ways of using the space.
Whilst architects can suggest an idea, specialists can develop it and contractors can work out how to build it, it still ultimately comes down to the client having the confidence to say yes.
This did not mean adding novelty for novelty’s sake. Every idea still needed to add value of its own, work for a busy family and stand up to everyday use.
Changing the mood at the touch of a button
Colour-changing mood lighting was introduced throughout the house, allowing the atmosphere to shift for different occasions and times of day.
Changing the colour of a room from a phone or voice command feels fairly ordinary now, but in 2008 this type of lighting was still relatively new in a domestic setting. Here, it was carefully integrated into the design rather than added later as a ‘techno boost’.
The contemporary stainless-steel and glass spiral staircase became one of the most visible expressions of the mood lighting, with coloured LED lights shining through each glass tread and turning it into an illuminated, sculptural helix at the centre of the home.
Looking beyond the domestic rule book
The same open-minded approach extended to the materials.
Instead of limiting the palette to finishes traditionally associated with residential interiors, the team looked towards high-end hotels and commercial spaces. The seamless poured resin flooring used exactly the same specification as the new floor at The Dorchester hotel. More commonly seen on exteriors, an internal stone-clad wall in the kitchen was uplit with adaptable coloured lighting to highlight its unusual texture.
At the heart of the plan, a stainless-steel and glass box surrounded an internal courtyard, with stairs leading to the stunning roof terrace. Elsewhere, crisp white walls contrasted with richly textured wallpapers to create a confident, contemporary interior.
Many of these were ambitious choices for a family home at the time, but the clients were willing to consider each one on its merits rather than dismissing it as something that belonged in a boutique hotel or high-end restaurant.
The result was distinctive and luxurious, but still designed to complement family life.
Contemporary did not have to mean formal
The clients were equally open-minded about how the house should be used.
Alongside a formal dining area and spaces for eating outside, they wanted somewhere smaller and more relaxed beside the kitchen. A compact dining nook was created with banquette seating and plush wallpaper, giving it the character of a smart little diner.
It was playful, practical and deliberately informal. In a large house with plenty of impressive spaces, it was also the sort of cosy corner that people naturally gravitate towards.
Technology with a practical purpose
Not every new idea was about appearance or atmosphere. The family had a strong interest in nature and wanted the house to be more energy efficient, making them early adopters of solar panels at a time when they were still relatively new to mainstream residences.
That balance was important. Technology could add colour, character and excitement, but it could also help the home use less energy and prepare it for the future.
What the clients remember
Revisiting Charlton Park Gate brought back mixed emotions for our client, Paul, combining understandable sadness at having sold the house with considerable pride in what was achieved:
“Looking back brings a mixture of emotions: sadness that we had to sell, but huge satisfaction in what we achieved. Claire led on the scheme, although we both contributed, and one of the greatest pleasures was working with Mark and RRA to bring those contemporary ideas to life and create such a stunning family home.”
Many of the ideas explored at Charlton Park Gate now feel much more familiar, but they were not the obvious domestic choices in 2008. The client’s memories underline what made the project so successful: their confidence to embrace contemporary ideas and the enjoyment of working together to make them happen.
Looking back, many of the ideas explored at Charlton Park Gate now feel much more familiar, but they were not the obvious domestic choices in 2008.
More of the architectural story and images can be found on the Charlton Park Gate project page. For this anniversary blog, however, the story is really about celebrating clients with the confidence to embrace contemporary ideas and a team that enjoyed the opportunity to explore them.
This project is part of our #40Projects40Weeks series, celebrating 40 years of RRA Architects through some of the projects, people and stories that have shaped the practice. If you have missed any of the previous posts, you can catch up on our News page.
About RRA Architects
Currently celebrating its 40th year, RRA Architects is an award-winning architectural practice established in 1986, supporting clients across residential, commercial, retail, development, heritage, education, community and conservation projects.
We work nationally, but are mostly focused across Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire, the Cotswolds, Bristol and Avon, the West Midlands, South West and South Wales, helping clients create thoughtful, practical and well-designed buildings.