London-based architecture firm James Grayley Architecture has completed a thoughtful extension to Church Cottage, a historic farmhouse in Suffolk, England, using traditional materials including red bricks, oak shingles, and terracotta floors to create a rustic character that harmonizes with the existing structure. The project showcases how contemporary design can respectfully integrate with heritage architecture while addressing modern living needs.
The cottage, located near the town of Eye, has a complex history that influenced the design approach. Originally constructed as two separate 18th-century laborers' dwellings, the buildings were joined together in the 1990s. The owners had previously added their own extension in 2011, but this left the home with what the architects described as "tiny cellular rooms and eccentric circulation" that needed to be resolved to create a more functional living space.
James Grayley Architecture's solution involved adding a new wing at the northwestern end of the Grade II-listed property, raised on a distinctive plinth constructed from Suffolk red bricks. The most striking feature of the addition is what the studio calls a "hairy shingle exterior," which serves as a contemporary interpretation of the cottage's traditional thatched roof. This creative design choice helps the modern extension blend seamlessly with the historic character of the original structure.
"An extension built by the clients provided much-needed new bathroom facilities, a small entrance hall and utility, but the diminutive dwelling still had no space large enough to accommodate a dining table, or to allow friends and extended family to gather," explained director James Grayley. "The primary strategy was to carefully repurpose and extend these spaces and to better connect the interior with the wider landscape for the gardener, landscape painter and printmaker clients."
The new extension serves primarily as a space for dining and social gatherings, featuring a single open-plan living, dining, and kitchen area. A brick hearth anchors one corner of the space, while a distinctive sloping white ceiling is punctuated by strategically placed skylights that flood the interior with natural light. The design creates an airy, welcoming environment that contrasts beautifully with the more intimate spaces of the historic cottage.
To maximize functionality throughout the entire property, the architects carefully reorganized the existing spaces where the new addition meets the previous extension. This reconfiguration created room for a practical kitchen pantry, while the original dining and living areas in the historic cottage were converted into a private study and cozy snug, providing the owners with varied spaces for different activities and moods.
Despite its contemporary form, the extension's material palette draws heavily from traditional local architecture, a strategy that proved crucial in obtaining planning permission for the Grade II-listed property. The Suffolk red brick used on the exterior continues into the interior fireplace, where it complements a herringbone quarry-tile floor that references the traditional pamment floors commonly found throughout the region.
Oak plays a prominent role in the interior design, framing deep-set windows in the dining area and creating a glazed sliding door that opens onto a garden patio, strengthening the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. The choice of oak not only provides visual warmth but also echoes traditional English building techniques, reinforcing the project's commitment to local architectural heritage.
One of the most innovative features of the extension is its living roof, which supports a wildflower garden designed to appear as a natural extension of the meadow that borders the property. This green roof solution not only provides environmental benefits but also helps the building integrate more completely with its rural surroundings, creating a seamless transition between architecture and landscape.
"Below its oak shake jacket, the distinctively contemporary extension reveals myriad references to traditional local materials and detailing, allowing the building to bed into its location and drawing on the extensive experience of the local contractors," Grayley noted. "The roof is now an array of swaying grasses and tiny flowers, and is growing into a wild part of the local Suffolk landscape."
The Church Cottage project represents part of a broader trend of thoughtful architectural interventions in Suffolk's historic built environment. Other recent projects in the area include Mole Architects' comprehensive overhaul of a 1960s coastal bungalow, which featured a timber-framed extension, and Studio Bark's completion of a rural home topped with what they described as an "origami-like" timber roof structure.
The successful completion of the Church Cottage extension demonstrates how contemporary architecture can respectfully enhance historic properties while meeting modern functional requirements. By carefully selecting materials and design elements that reference local building traditions, James Grayley Architecture has created an addition that feels both fresh and timeless, providing the owners with the gathering spaces they needed while preserving the character and charm that makes their Suffolk cottage special.
