For over 40 years, LA London has established a reputation as specialist architects in prime central London. We’re proud to have completed projects at some of the capital's most prestigious addresses.

Since our founding, however, we have also undertaken substantial projects in some of the UK’s most desirable rural locations. Our portfolio includes award-winning new builds and renovations in the Cotswolds as well as Kent, Sussex, the Surrey Hills and on leafy private estates such as St George’s Hill and the Crown Estate at Oxshott.

A rural bolthole has long been an attractive prospect for HNWIs, and for good reason: the British countryside offers beautiful scenery, safety, and space. Now “country house” style is becoming increasingly desirable too – but how does rural design differ from its urban equivalent?

LA London partners Kathryn Archer and Andrew Paulson reflect on the key design features of a modern rural home, with insights from Rebecca Burke, Associate Director at luxury construction specialists Castellum and Martin Kemp of international interior design studio Martin Kemp Design.

L to R: LA London Partners, Kathryn Archer and Andrew Paulson; Rebecca Burke, Castellum; and Martin Kemp, Martin Kemp Design.

1. Blending in

Whether we’re delivering a rural renovation or new-build, we are mindful that our designs should be sympathetic to their surroundings. This approach is determined not just by our respect for heritage and nature, but also by our clients, who often prioritise the landscape and scenery surrounding a property over the property itself.

For our renovation of Dixton Manor in the Cotswolds, we employed traditional techniques and materials, such as green oak and lime mortar, while restoring the fabric of the building and making updates to ensure comfort and energy-efficiency.

Designing a home that is in keeping with its environment has more than just aesthetic advantages – it is these days a requirement for planning permission too, particularly in conservation areas. The Cotswold district has the highest number of conservation areas in England, at 144. By adopting traditional techniques at Dixton, we preserved the classic rural style of the house so that it remained in harmony with its beautiful formal gardens and the wider parish of Alderton.

2. Staying local

The use of local materials is key to classic countryside style, whether it’s Cotswold stone or Scottish slate. “Traditional countryside design is defined by a deep connection to local materials, craftsmanship and the surrounding landscape,” says Rebecca Burke at Castellum.

Using traditional local materials in construction and renovation translates into a design that’s more likely to feel at one with the area. It also supports the local economy and means materials have a smaller carbon footprint. While renovating Dixton Manor, which was built in Cotswold stone, we selected a building contractor with its own quarry down the road. This meant we were able to use stone as local as that first used to build the house in the 16th century, and it blended perfectly with the existing construction.

This approach extends to the workforce as well. “In the Cotswolds, we find local knowledge and experience is invaluable, along with masons used to working with Cotswold stone of course,” Rebecca says. The level of craftsmanship is exceptional. There’s a real respect for heritage and the environment.” Wherever possible, we also strive to collaborate with firms and individuals with a strong local presence and understanding.

3. Keeping it classic

Paragraph 84 (known as the “country house clause”) in the National Planning Policy Framework stipulates that isolated new homes built in protected rural areas have to meet certain strict criteria, one of which is a design of “exceptional quality”. As a result, new one-off homes in the countryside remain relatively rare, with only around five or six built per year. This has contributed to a country house aesthetic that tends towards the classic and original.

Traditional design in rural areas extends to renovations and refurbishments, too, while in the city a modern, experimental style may feel more appropriate. “Rural homes are built to feel timeless and there’s a sense of permanence and patina that’s hard to replicate,” Rebecca says, citing “handmade timber windows, flagstone or oak flooring and architectural features such as stone mullioned windows, exposed beams and large open hearths.”

The kitchen at Gaywood Farm combines traditional features with a fresh and contemporary feel.

That’s not to say a country home can’t feel fresh and contemporary, however. When it comes to interior design, Martin Kemp says weekender clients in particular are often seeking a “fresher, cleaner approach” with features like “painted panels in lighter colours, contrasting radiators and intriguing, minimal furniture or upholstery as art pieces.”

In our rural projects, we have seen clients embracing the extra space available to experiment with different design styles – a reception room might be kept classic and cosy, while bedrooms might be minimalist and modern.

4. Balancing work and play

Rural homes typically offer more space for leisure facilities such as cinema rooms, tennis courts and swimming pools, which would usually need to be installed below ground in a smaller London home. We’ve delivered rural projects that feature sophisticated leisure facilities such as polo fields, golf courses, go-karting tracks and even an ice rink, which was housed inside a barn.

Rebecca Burke highlights the recent trend for padel among the countryside set: “We are starting to see the emergence of padel courts replacing traditional tennis courts,” she says. “Coupled with this is the increasing trend for wellness and wellbeing facilities within the home.” Fashionable British brands are also setting up shop in areas like the Cotswolds: “Likely due to establishments like Soho Farmhouse, Estelle Manor and Daylesford Farm Shop, the Cotswolds continues to see a growing influx of both Londoners and international buyers,” according to Rebecca.

A swimming pool and bowling alley for a home in Surrey.

Martin Kemp agrees that space to unwind is high on the priority list for an interior design project in the countryside: “Entertaining figures highly, so space for a media room or cinema is often on our checklist, whether that be in a party barn or outbuilding. Play areas for younger children are important, as are teenager retreats, which again is where rural outbuildings add value.”

It’s increasingly rare that work ends at 5pm on a Friday, however, and today’s rural retreat needs to allow the busy professional to be readily available even during their downtime. “Communications and infrastructure have become central to rural schemes; we’re often installing fibre optics across large sites to link multiple buildings, enabling clients to run businesses, manage households and stay globally connected from their rural bases,” says Rebecca.

5. Respecting heritage

A key challenge we face when renovating period homes in the countryside is delivering comfort and convenience while preserving the building’s character and heritage. Large country houses can be draughty, with dated heating systems and leaky windows, but modern-day energy solutions often prove problematic when it comes to planning.

“Hidden lighting, underfloor heating, or the incorporation of air conditioning can be challenging when navigating the void constraints of listed buildings,” Rebecca explains. “The goal is to achieve a balance between authenticity and comfort, which requires a careful hand and respect for the building’s history.”

LA London regularly overcomes these restraints by integrating specialist heating and cooling systems that improve thermal performance without losing the building’s original fabric and character. Simple steps such as discreetly sealing doors and windows and installing secondary glazing can also make a substantial difference to the thermal and acoustic properties of a home.

Where new energy measures are introduced, they should be integrated discreetly with original features. “Flagstone floors with underfloor heating fed by sustainable energy sources are figuring more in our proposals,” says Martin. “We always endeavour to hide any air conditioning in fitted joinery and avoid damaging any precious features.”

6. Discreet tech

It’s tempting to regard the rural lifestyle as simpler and less reliant on technology than its urban equivalent, and it’s true that some clients are seeking a more low-fi existence at their rural retreat. Martin Kemp explains: “Many of our clients like to lead a simpler lifestyle in the countryside and so technology is minimised – through the use of toggle light switches, for example, which can still be used to control a multitude of features.” We have also seen this demand for tech to be streamlined.

For our rural projects, discreet tech has included plastered-in speakers to support entertainment systems, while aspirating smoke detectors continuously sample air and detect fires at an early stage without the need for an intrusive white plastic ceiling fitting.

And while security is a priority for HNW clients in the countryside, bulky security lights, high perimeter walls and large CCTV cameras are now a thing of the past. New measures include smaller, motion-sensitive cameras and coiled sensor cables hidden in the ground, which offer peace of mind without impinging on the look of a rural home – a contemporary ha-ha!

7. Seeking sustainability

With more space typically available in a rural project, there is also more potential to implement effective sustainability measures such as a solar array or ground source heat pump. In the case of the latter, the area of land required for a horizontal array is roughly 2.5 times that of the house, which is rarely possible in central London. Even for a vertical borehole system, homes need enough outdoor space to provide site access for a drilling rig, which may be difficult in a built-up area.

Gaywood Farm in Sussex, where LA London implemented several sustainability measures.

Both Martin and Rebecca agree that energy efficiency is paramount in rural projects: “Clients are increasingly requesting systems such as air source and ground source heat pumps, photovoltaic panels, solar arrays and now high-capacity battery storage capability,” says Rebecca.

For our own project at Dixton Manor, we installed a biomass boiler that was fed from the wood generated from the coppicing cycle on the estate, while a reed bed system was used to filter waste water. By embracing natural, traditional methods and materials wherever possible, we can work to preserve rural homes and their surroundings for future generations.

Sustainability has a more acute significance with a rise in multi-generational homes, both in the city and the countryside: “Clients are increasingly purchasing properties that can accommodate parents, children and staff, which adds further layers of planning and design complexity,” says Rebecca. “In some cases, older clients are designing homes with the next generation in mind, creating properties that are not only functional for today but also future-proofed to be passed down in years to come.”

LA London operates in the high-end residential, retail, commercial and hospitality sectors, working with an extensive network of trusted partners and collaborators both in the UK and overseas. If you’re looking for advice on a forthcoming project, get in touch for a preliminary consultation.