Farmhouse Extension and Alteration, South Lakes
The Brief
Turning an empty farmhouse and attached barn into a large, comfortable family home, with substantial new accommodation arranged around a courtyard.
The private clients wanted to make the existing farmhouse their main home. It had been empty for some time and earlier proposals had involved relatively small-scale changes, but more substantial alterations were needed to provide the accommodation they wanted.
The project involved refurbishing the existing farmhouse, converting the attached barn, and adding new extensions to the side and rear. Together, these form a courtyard arrangement and provide a four-bedroom family home with a guest suite, studio, home office, garaging and separate staff accommodation.
John Coward Architects joined the project with a concept design already in place. We developed alterations to the planning permission, then took the scheme through Building Regulations, full production information, and the construction stage through to completion, working alongside the structural engineer and mechanical and electrical team.
Key features
- Refurbishment and alteration of the existing farmhouse
- Conversion of an attached barn
- New extensions to the side and rear
- Courtyard arrangement bringing the different elements together
- Four-bedroom family home
- Guest suite, studio and home office
- Garaging and separate staff accommodation
- Burlington slate, natural random rubble stone and vertical timber boarding
- Modern glazed elements and deep shadow-gap detailing
- Landscaping around the extended house
A traditional farmhouse with modern additions
The property sits in the South Lakes close to an estuary, with traditional stone barns, a rendered farmhouse, fields and an existing wooded area. These surroundings strongly influenced the finished design.
The new work needed to fit with the traditional South Lakeland farmhouse while complementing it with modern detailing. Burlington slate and natural random rubble stone were combined with vertical timber boarding, deep shadow gaps and glazed elements to give the additions their own character.
The extensions step up the gentle slope of the site, with views from different elevations towards the estuary, surrounding fields and woodland. A partially glazed courtyard and landscaping around the extended house further connect the different parts of the project with their setting.
The finished house feels as if it has always been there, with modern additions linking the existing farmhouse and barn. It sits comfortably within the landscape while providing the substantial additional accommodation the clients needed.
