Inside McLean Quinlan’s Winchester architecture studio: a material-led approach to designing contemporary homes

For over 40 years, McLean Quinlan has been creating distinct, beautifully crafted homes and retreats — in towns, in the countryside, across the UK and overseas. A family of architects working from studios in London and Winchester, the practice carefully attends to a select number of projects, led by a close-knit team of architects and designers supported by a trusted network of craftspeople and specialists.

Recognised for their ability to curate warmth, texture, scale and atmospheric light, McLean Quinlan designs spaces with a unique and tangible character. Natural materials and traditional processes are used in highly crafted, contemporary ways. Detail matters. The sensory matters. The tactile matters. Their award-winning buildings are designed to endure — and to inspire beyond a lifetime.

It is this philosophy that now finds physical expression in their newly completed Winchester studio.

A Studio Designed to Demystify the Architectural Process

Beneath the practice’s existing Winchester office, the ground floor has been transformed into a welcoming architectural studio. Rather than functioning as a formal showroom or corporate meeting room, the space has been conceived as something more intimate — a relaxed, domestic environment that grounds the design journey in lived experience.

The aim is simple yet powerful: to demystify architecture.

Here, clients don’t just discuss materials — they touch them. They don’t simply imagine atmosphere — they sit within it.

The studio is accessible through two entrances. An internal door allows the team to use the space for meetings, shared lunches and focused work away from the main office. A second landscaped street entrance welcomes clients directly into the experience.

From the road, stepping stones guide visitors through considered planting towards a raised, covered entryway. Brick paving, Millboard composite cladding and timber-framed glazing create a deliberately residential tone. A small bistro table and chairs soften the threshold, signalling from the outset that this is not a showroom — it is a space for conversation.

Where Materiality Takes Centre Stage

Inside, the studio unfolds in an open plan, gently zoned by furniture and bespoke joinery. A generous kitchen island replaces the traditional reception desk, anchoring the space in a familiar domestic gesture. It becomes a natural pause point for introductions and coffee before moving into the wider room.

At the heart of the space stands a substantial oak dining table, seating up to twenty people. It is both functional and symbolic — a place for collaboration, discussion and shared ideas. The studio can easily transition from hosting elegant evening events to intimate client meetings.

Soft clay plaster walls and warm timber finishes temper the scale of the room, ensuring that smaller conversations feel comfortable rather than cavernous.

A timber-panelled feature wall forms the studio’s evolving ‘project wall’. Here, curated palettes and mood boards from current residential projects are displayed. Instead of overwhelming clients with endless catalogues of samples, the wall presents harmonious, proven material combinations — inviting clarity rather than confusion.

Throughout the studio, every element has been chosen to demonstrate McLean Quinlan’s architectural aesthetic while functioning in daily life. From plaster walls and panelling to the kitchen island, oak table and seating, clients experience the very materials and detailing that may one day define their own home.

The space remains flexible — hosting evening gatherings, team workshops or simply offering a quieter retreat from the main office. Yet at its core, the studio exists to make architecture tangible. Warmth, materiality and attention to detail — the defining qualities of a McLean Quinlan home — are immediately legible.

As Emily Johnson, Senior Architect at McLean Quinlan, explains:

“We wanted to create a familiar space where the conversation about design feels natural and intuitive. When clients can sit at a table we would specify for their own home, or run a hand along a timber wall that could feature in their project, it demystifies the process. They experience the quality and aesthetic firsthand, which makes decisions less intimidating and the entire creative journey more collaborative and exciting.”

In grounding architectural design in sensory experience, McLean Quinlan reminds us that homes are not abstract concepts. They are lived spaces — shaped by light, material and atmosphere — and best understood not only through drawings, but through feeling.

The directors of McLean Quinlan: Kate Quinlan, Fiona McLean and Alastair Bowden

Where Edinburgh feels like home: living abroad in Scotland

The first winter morning light in Edinburgh feels different from home. It reminds me of 6am in Bangkok, when the city is still and the air is cool. But the light that filters through my apartment window here, in a small three-storey flat, is not the same as the light that once touched the windows of my high-rise home in Bangkok. It is softer, colder, and carries a scent of sea air.

Can I call Edinburgh my home? I am not sure yet. I have entered my third year in this city, and each season brings change — new homes, new faces, and new ways of seeing.

There was a time when I was a student.

A time when I lived abroad again after graduation, seeking inspiration in California.

A time when I lived alone, without best friends or housemates.

A time when I did not know who I was, where I belonged, or what I wanted to do.

A time when I felt lost in my career and uncertain about my path forward.

After moving house five times within the city, I have begun to understand what it truly means to make a place feel like home. For me, it starts with rooting inward — learning to express myself honestly, no matter where I am.

Moving 9,800 kilometres across countries meant crossing worlds: geography, culture, values, and light. Bangkok was fast-paced, structured, and full of rhythm. Edinburgh is introspective, organic, and soulful.

Finding a sense of belonging

My first year here was all about exploration — discovering new streets, new knowledge, and new ways of living. I found joy in the simplest things: the architecture of the city, cosy cafés, independent stores tucked into corners, and the way spring water sparkles in the air.

Slowly, I began to rebuild and rediscover myself. I walked from the city to the sea, through Leith Walk to the Ocean Terminal where the Royal Yacht Britannia rests. The walk itself taught me to stay with myself, to notice the nature woven into the city, the diverse cultures along the road, and the dynamics of daily life.

Art, too, found me here. Edinburgh’s creative spirit hides in small corners — murals, galleries, and poetry in window displays. These details awakened my creative instinct again.

Creativity as a way home

Nature persuaded me to get closer to flowers, my way of expressing both art and emotion. It began with a simple bouquet I made for a friend’s graduation in winter 2023. That moment bloomed into something bigger. I learned new flower species, how to care for them in a colder climate, and how their lifespans echoed the rhythm of the city.

Working with flowers became a healing practice — a conversation between hands, heart, and nature.

Before this, I was trained as an architect, and I used to express myself through drawings and design, not words. When I first moved here, I had to strengthen my second language, English. During that time, I felt voiceless creatively. Slowly, I discovered other ways to express my feelings: photography, drawing, reading, and floral design. Each became its own form of meditation.

East meets West

Culturally, moving from Southeast Asia to Northern Europe has taught me independence and respect for solitude. Here, privacy and personal space are valued; freedom and human rights are protected. I have learned to enjoy my own company and to see independence not as loneliness but as peace.

Home, I have realised, is something that grows within. It is how I learn to stay grounded and perceive the world around me through an artist’s eye.

My flower project, Floral Reef & Co, has become my bridge between East and West, connecting my East Asian roots with this new landscape. What began as an online flower shop has evolved into a mindful floral brand rooted in Edinburgh. It embodies the balance I have been seeking: creativity, cultural connection, and well-being. Floral art has long held meaning in Asian philosophies such as Ikebana, where arranging flowers reflects the harmony between nature and the soul. In the West, I have found that same spirit expressed through well-being projects and community workshops. Here, art and healing coexist beautifully.

Homecoming

Sometimes, home finds you in the softest ways — through winter light, through nature, through the courage to start again. Feeling at home is not about returning to where I was born. It is about arriving at a version of myself that feels whole, grounded, creative, and open.

Just listen to yourself, and take the path your heart tells you.

Sara Ananrojwong is a multidisciplinary artist based in Edinburgh who connects people with nature through floral art, experience design, and visual storytelling. Her work explores the intersection of culture, place, and human experience — particularly how mindful living can support emotional well-being.