Nutbourne, West Sussex

Set within the quiet landscape this one-and-a-half-storey detached house had all the charm of a rural home, but it no longer supported the way our clients lived. Over time, the layout had become restrictive and unclear, with awkward circulation, limited connection to natural light, and no real separation between family life and working from home.

Our clients approached George and James Architects with a clear ambition: to bring their home up to modern living standards and create a warm, functional family house that genuinely improves day-to-day life. They wanted a home that felt easier to live in, brighter, more connected to the garden, and better suited to contemporary working patterns, without losing the character of the original building or disrupting the rural setting.

The design responds through a careful reconfiguration of the ground and first floors, supported by two considered side extensions that create much-needed space while remaining sensitive to the scale and character of the existing house.

On the south side, a two-storey pitched roof extension provides a dedicated home studio for our husband and wife clients, her floristry business occupying the ground floor and his office in the mezzanine above. This was a crucial part of the brief: creating a workspace that is calm, private and separate from family life. The studio is designed with a sense of quiet focus, using a glazed partition to provide separation without losing light and openness. Two new gable ends face east and west, bringing architectural clarity to the new form and allowing access to both the front courtyard and rear garden.

Large glazed openings on the east elevation frame long views across the West Sussex landscape, while the mezzanine is deliberately set back to avoid overlooking and maintain privacy.  To the north, a single-storey flat roof extension introduces a new garden room and sitting space, creating a bright everyday living area that strengthens the connection between the home and the rear garden.  Where possible, existing materials are reused, including the home’s distinctive Crittall-style glazing, which is relocated to the forward-facing elevation to retain continuity and character.

A new porch creates a sheltered, legible front entrance, improving arrival and giving the house a stronger sense of welcome. Meanwhile, the existing garage roof is upgraded from felt to a sedum green roof, enhancing biodiversity and contributing to a more environmentally responsible approach across the site.

Materially, the project is designed to feel both contemporary and rooted in its context. Matched brickwork forms a grounded plinth to the extensions, with standing seam zinc above, folding seamlessly into the zinc roof for a refined and unified architectural expression.

Overall, the scheme delivers a home that feels more generous, more logical and more attuned to our clients’ everyday lives. By reshaping the layout, introducing purposeful new spaces and elevating the architectural language, Nutbourne House becomes a modern rural family home: warm, light-filled and designed to support the way the family lives today.