Sutton Mill Barn, Cotswolds

The existing internal arrangement was fragmented and ill-suited to contemporary family life. Our approach was to rationalise the floorplan, opening up key spaces to improve flow and better connect the interior with the surrounding landscape.

A central ambition of the project was to reveal and celebrate the retained watermill mechanism. The historic timber machinery, a main asset of the building, had previously been concealed within a cramped, low-ceilinged bedroom. Our solution was to carefully remove this later addition, creating a stunning double-height living space that allows the mechanism to be fully appreciated as a focal point within the home.

Another key challenge was the building’s disconnected layout. The kitchen, formerly isolated at one end of the house, was relocated to the heart of the plan, anchoring the main living spaces. Three separate staircases were removed and replaced with a single, carefully detailed steel staircase, streamlining movement through the house and creating a more intuitive experience.

On the first floor, the layout was reconfigured to provide more generous bedrooms and a new landing overlooking the dining space below. To bring in natural light without altering the historic character of the rear elevation, discreet conservation rooflights were introduced to serve a new family bathroom and master en-suite.

Material and technical upgrades were undertaken with restraint. Heavy timber window frames were replaced with refined, aluminium-framed alternatives to increase daylight and improve thermal performance, while underfloor heating and a wood-burning stove enhance comfort. A neutral interior palette allows the building’s historic elements – the exposed beams and the mill machinery – to remain the primary focus.