In the suburban enclave of Bushey, north of London, a super-modern house with angled architecture, industrial cladding and a double-aspect living space is rising among the Victorian terraced properties. It doesn't look like a retirement home. But it is.

Former graphic designer Peter Acornley and his wife, Judy, both in their mid-60s, are moving out of the five-bedroom Edwardian residence they've occupied for 22 years and into this one, Frobisher House. They could have chosen a villa in Tuscany or a condominium on the Costa del Sol but instead they have opted to commission a contemporary, architect-designed home. And, as a result, they have unwittingly become part of a growing trend.