Shaping the Future of Luxury Leisure Living
Whether it’s a spa complex, pilates studio, wine room, or car gallery, luxury leisure spaces are designed to support our clients’ lifestyles while integrating seamlessly into the overall design language of the home.
Each has its own technical requirements, spatial needs, and aesthetic ambitions. Our role is to bring these elements together with clarity, so the result is both functional and enduring.
Spa Spaces: Wellness Meets Engineering
Spa environments demand complex coordination behind their calm appearance. Balancing humidity control, water management, thermal performance, and material durability is essential—not just for comfort, but to protect the long-term fabric of the building.
At Maplehurst House, the spa barn was inspired by the pool complex at The Newt. Exposed brickwork meets full-height Crittall glazing, with a waterfall wall adding a dynamic focal point. A vaulted ceiling spans the length of the space, housing a mezzanine steam room enclosed in glazing—introducing volume and vertical interest. This combination of texture, structure, and controlled detailing creates a private wellness retreat with practical systems integrated invisibly into the design.
At Hazelhurst House, the spa and pool complex was embedded within the landscape to preserve the prominence of the Grade II* listed home. The building is set into the hillside, its sloping green roof blending into the gardens above. Inside, the space is designed for flexible entertaining and relaxation, while maintaining high-performance environmental control throughout. The new leisure facilities were part of a broader architectural strategy to restore site hierarchy, improve views across the estate, and enhance biodiversity in the surrounding landscape.
Studios for Movement: Pilates and Yoga Spaces
Movement studios need to be calm, proportioned spaces where light, acoustics, material continuity and flow are carefully balanced. Whether for pilates or yoga, these rooms support focused physical activity, so they rely on clarity of design rather than complexity.
At Rosewood Manor, the pilates studio was designed to offer a strong connection to its natural setting. Large sliding glass doors open out to wide views across the surrounding fields, creating a strong indoor-outdoor feel and allowing for maximum daylight. A feature wall of exposed Cotswold stone grounds the space and introduces warmth and texture, contrasting with the clean lines of the glazing and joinery. Materials and finishes were selected to enhance the sense of openness and movement, while still providing acoustic control and comfort throughout the year.
The yoga studio, designed as part of a larger estate, follows a more enclosed, inward-focused approach. A neutral, calm interior scheme was key, with mirrors placed opposite windows to draw in and amplify natural light throughout the space. Though relatively compact, the studio’s proportions, soft finishes and quiet detailing were all considered to support a sense of stillness and focus.
Together, these studios demonstrate how purposeful spatial planning and restrained materiality can create deeply effective wellness environments—even when the architectural approaches are different.
Controlled Environments: Wine Rooms and Humidors
Specialist storage spaces—such as wine rooms and humidors—demand tight environmental control without losing sight of design. These are functional spaces, but often used for display and entertaining as well, meaning they must perform technically while also contributing to the experience of the home.
At Claremont House, we designed a bespoke wine room where temperature and humidity are precisely regulated. The enclosure is vapour-sealed and insulated to prevent condensation and thermal drift, with a concealed cooling system maintaining consistent internal conditions. Joinery and shelving were tailored to the client’s collection, with integrated lighting designed to minimise UV exposure while creating a warm, understated atmosphere.
In humidors, similar principles apply, with additional attention given to material selection. Only specific timbers, such as Spanish cedar, are appropriate due to their stability and non-aromatic qualities. These are compact rooms, but require rigorous planning and careful detailing to ensure long-term performance and preservation.
Car Galleries: Displaying and Protecting Automotive Collections
Car galleries must deliver on two fronts: they need to house vehicles safely and securely, while also presenting them in a way that enhances their visual impact. The architectural challenge lies in balancing industrial performance with refined design.
At Rycote, we created a three-bay glazed car gallery that is both architecturally striking and functionally refined. Located on the ground floor, the gallery forms part of a larger structure that also includes annex guest accommodation and an office studio above, accessed via a stylised external staircase. The garage’s material palette—including limestone flooring, luxuriously polished plaster walls, and an exposed concrete ceiling—creates a sophisticated yet industrial aesthetic.
Glazed on both sides, the gallery allows a seamless visual and physical connection from the entrance courtyard through to the garden patio, outdoor seating, and kitchen. Its contemporary design is balanced by timber cladding that complements the architectural vernacular of the area, ensuring the garage sits comfortably within its context while maintaining a bold, modern identity.
Built-In, Not Added On
Whether for wellness, movement, storage, or display, leisure spaces must be purposeful and deeply integrated into the architecture of a home. At HollandGreen, we approach these projects with the same attention to proportion, environmental performance, and material detailing as any primary living space.
They are not lifestyle extras, but essential parts of how our clients live—and when designed well, they become some of the most enduring and enjoyed spaces in the home.
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