Hilltop Farm

A Contemporary Rural Farmhouse with Grand Designs Energy

2023

Private Residential

Sustainability

A contemporary farmstead that proves boring doesn't have to be the only option in the countryside.

Brief

Some clients dream of extensions. Others want total transformation. Our clients wanted something that belonged on Grand Designs—a home that worked for their active lifestyle while sitting beautifully in the Derbyshire countryside.

The original house was ordinary. Forgettable. The kind of place you'd drive past without a second glance. But the site had serious potential. Perched on the edge of settlement, it offered stunning rural views while staying connected to the community. The challenge was creating something spectacular that still felt like it belonged.

Location

South Derbyshire

Status

Completed

Client

Private Client

Services

Architectural Design

Planning

3D Visualisation

Area

3,050 sqft

The Challenge

This wasn't your typical 30% extension. Our clients needed substantially more space—the kind of increase that makes planning officers reach for their red pens. Add in a site that felt like living in a fishbowl (everyone could see it) and ground conditions that laughed at conventional drainage, and you've got the recipe for a planning nightmare.

"The site was like it was in a fishbowl that everyone could see, so its visual impact was very high. This meant good quality design was needed for it to stand out and blend in at the same time."

The Design

Rather than designing one large barn-style building (boring), we created a contemporary farmstead—a collection of connected buildings with different roof heights, gables, and functional character. Think modern interpretation of traditional farm buildings, but with serious style.

The curved wing became the showstopper. Standing seam roofing, charred timber cladding, and local stone created a material palette that felt both cutting-edge and rooted in place. The result? A home that commands attention while respecting its countryside context.

High-performance windows were positioned strategically to frame views rather than defaulting to the blandness of floor-to-ceiling glass walls. Because good design is about being deliberate, not just dramatic.

The Pool That Steals Every Scene

Here's where Grand Designs dreams come to life: a 25-meter lap pool that connects to the home through carefully positioned internal windows. Add in a full-sized tennis court outside, and you've got functional luxury that serves the family's active lifestyle while creating moments of pure magic throughout the house.

"The light dancing off the water creates this amazing shimmer that flows through the windows into the rest of the house."

Planning? Completed it.

Securing approval for a substantially larger dwelling in a highly visible rural location? That takes more than hoping for the best. We built a compelling case around exceptional design quality, environmental performance, and landscape integration.