The Ultimate Farmhouse Renovation

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Grade II listed Farmhouse Renovation, Norfolk, Clayland Architects Clayland Architects
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From the pictures, you will soon see that this was no small scale renovation project and that the design team really had their work cut out for them. Being a listed property, there needed to be a compromise between modernisation and restoration, but we think it has been attained with relative ease. 

A £500k project, the original farmhouse had stood empty for two years, meaning that it was in dire need of far more than just a quick spruce up! Having already been extended a number of times, by former owners, the new owners were no exception and wanted to put their own stamp on the property. This necessitated a close working relationship with the local Historical Buildings Officer, to ensure that any new design would be sympathetic to the style and age of the farmhouse.

Take a look at the finished result and we think you'll agree with us that this is a fantastic renovation project that not only injected new life into an old property, but radically transformed it, while staying true to the inherent style and nature.

Lots of potential

Look past the ill-conceived porch and strange timber detailing and you will be able to see a large family home with a lot of potential to be truly spectacular. Thankfully, the team at Clayland Architects had exactly the right amount of vision and drive to do exactly this and set about using the bones of the building to support a new and far fresher design scheme.

The difference between this rather sad before image and the next one, where the renovation has been completed, will blow you away!

A stunning turnaround

WOW! Now THIS is a beautiful farmhouse that any family would consider themselves very lucky to live in! Isn't it amazing just how different the façade now looks, thanks to keeping everything far simpler and more period sympathetic?

Gone is the dated porch, old dormers and strange timber effect on the walls and instead, there stands a stunning, simple and fantastically pared back farmhouse that looks like rural heaven! A crisp render, coupled with an uncluttered frontage design have really lifted the profile of this house, not to mention increased the value!

Beautiful features

What a relief that when you go inside this amazing house, as many of the original features as possible have been kept and actually, not just kept, but showcased as central items. We love the exposed beams in this room, which have been spliced with new timber to restore, rather than replace them and then there, in the centre of the room, a perfect exposed brickwork fireplace!

By keeping traditional elements, you can afford to go a little more modern in other areas, should you so wish and we don't think anything would have paired so well with natural wood as that aged red and yellow brickwork. Beautiful and so homely!

New spaces

In contrast to the older elements at play, here is something completely new. As we said, many former owners had already extended the house, but the new owners also wanted to add some extra space. The result of that desire was this pretty little sun trap of a room, at the rear of the house.

Opening up into a courtyard, the multiple bi-folding doors transform this space into what is essentially an extension of the outdoors, helping to make everything seem bigger, more airy and contemporary. We think this would be a lovely play room for a family, or even the ideal study for anyone working from home.

Complementary styling

Though this is a modern bathroom, what we like is that classic styling and muted colours have been used in order to tie it back into the heritage of the property and keep everything cohesive. It would have been so easy to simply choose an ultra modern suite, but with a little conscientious thought, a roll top freestanding bath has been put into place and looks beautiful, especially against the natural wood floor. It also helps to detract from the stark modernity of the shower cubicle.

Though modern appliances and conveniences are a treat, they can quickly overshadow an older building, so getting the balance right, as it is here, is vital.

Grand entrance

There can't be many things nicer than returning home to this farmhouse, only to walk straight in to a huge entrance hall that is drenched in natural light. We can imagine this space looking particularly amazing at Christmas, decorated beautifully with a large tree.

For year round glamour, we think a large, luxurious sofa would make a great statement in here, almost turning the hallway into a mini-lounge or reception area and thanks to the stunning view out into the garden, your guests will have something beautiful to look at while they wait for you!

Modern and muted

A classic Shaker style kitchen is working wonders in this modern yet traditional farmhouse, to the point where we couldn't imagine anything else being in its place. The simple cupboard doors are reminiscent of the plain render on the outside of the house and the vast amounts of usable worktop remind us that this is a home where the kitchen will have been and will continue to be, a busy hub.

A stunning renovation project, this farmhouse has blended old and new styles easily to create a family home in Norfolk that is hard to beat.

For more farmhouse inspiration, take a look at this Ideabook: Revival Of A 16th Century Farmhouse.

Do you love rural heritage properties? What is your favourite part of this project? Let us know your thoughts!

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