Shann House, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV22 6DR

“Recognised by the Museum of Modern Art in their seminal 1937 exhibition catalogue ‘Modern Architecture in England’”

This Grade II-listed three-bedroom house, designed by celebrated architect Serge Chermayeff, sits in beautiful private gardens and offers sweeping views toward Rugby. Built in 1933, it is an outstanding example - one of the best preserved - of modernist architecture and has featured in many architectural publications, including MoMA’s pioneering exhibition catalogue in 1937. Its imposing cubic structure and circular cantilevered balcony give the exterior a distinctive silhouette, while the interiors bear the hallmarks of Chermayeff’s approach to rational order, light, and natural materials.

The Architect

Chermayeff is considered a founding member of British modernism and collaborated with many renowned architects, including Walter Gropius and Erich Mendelsohn, with whom he won an architectural competition for the design of the De La Warr Pavilion at Bexhill, East Sussex. Shann House itself is noted in many architectural publications, including 'The Architects' Journal', MoMA’s 1937 exhibition catalogue, and 'Twentieth Century Houses' by architect Raymond McGrath.

He is known for creating unique, contemporary homes guided by his own rules rather than conventional styles; Raymond McGrath wrote '[Chermayeff] has a true eye for colour, for the relation of house to garden, for pleasing materials, and in addition he is conscious of the important place of painting and the other arts in building'. Furthermore, special attention is given in the planning to present-day needs in furniture - cupboards and tables of all sorts - as part of the structure.

The Tour

Shann House is located on the corridor connecting central Rugby to the nearby historic village of Dunchurch. The house is built of monolithic concrete and painted white; its striking cubic form spans two storeys, topped with a flat roof.

A short driveway behind electric gates leads off the street to a parking area and a garage, with the original sliding door and glazed portholes, and a tall brick wall and abundant garden planting make it private. Next to the garage, a boiler room serves as a workshop and a store keeps gardening equipment.

The garden wraps the house and is mainly lawn, with mature conifers, apple trees, and well-stocked, landscaped rockery beds.

The front door is set to the side of the house, on raised ground with a garden-facing porthole, and enters a large entrance hall. The hall itself feels like a room to spend time in, with storage, chairs, and light pouring in from the adjacent rooms. Full-width sliding doors of opal glass panes, their milky-white composition pierced by gentle light, lead to the sitting room. The doors were designed to let in more light; Chermayeff took inspiration from the Japanese shoji screen.

The sitting room is largely glazed on all sides, with fantastic views out across the garden. A few seating areas are arranged in equal brightness, and a door opens onto a generous garden-level terrace; with a singular curved form, the terrace is an architectural feature in itself. On the other side of the room is a kitchen-dining room that can be screened off with another set of opal glass doors. The kitchen is well-equipped, with integrated appliances and bespoke units set above and below hardwood countertops. A WC is located just off the entrance hall.

The hall hosts one of the home’s most impressive features: the original staircase with its polished wooden handrail. On the first floor, three bedrooms share garden views, and the principal sits at the rear. It features floor-to-ceiling glass-fronted wardrobes and its own balcony, with far-reaching views towards Rugby. The two further bedrooms have ample storage, and all share a WC and separate bathroom. The latter has tiled surfaces, a large bath and a walk-in shower.

Outdoor Space

Outdoor space is integral to the home. A large garden wraps the house, rife with mature trees, including apple and conifer trees, well-established beds, and lawn. It has both ornamental and restorative qualities, and tall hedges and fencing make it entirely secluded. A terrace and separate balcony create intimate spaces in warmer months and provide wonderful views of the garden and Rugby, respectively.

The Area

Dunchurch Road is one of Rugby’s most distinguished addresses, stretching south-west from the heart of the town towards the picturesque village of Dunchurch. Lined with mature trees, it sits close to the town’s open green spaces and array of boutiques and restaurants.

The street is immediately adjacent to or within walking distance of the world-renowned Rugby School, the historic birthplace of rugby football, as well as other highly regarded local options. State primary and secondary schools include local Church of England academies, alongside prominent grammar schools in the wider Rugby area.

The location provides quick access into Rugby town centre via regular local bus services. Rugby railway station offers frequent, direct mainline services to London Euston in less than 50 minutes, Birmingham, and the wider Midlands, while major road links such as the A45, A428, and the M1/M6 motorway networks are a short drive away.

Tenure: Freehold | Council Tax Band: E