Burnham Overy Staithe is a small, quiet, village of highly desirable properties, mostly traditional in design. This property is the last one along a private lane at the very edge of the village envelope and so required a particularly sensitive design solution.

Bluepencil were commissioned to design a family house on a site within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which offered spectacular long distance views of the north Norfolk coast and the Holkham Estate. 

The split level floor plan arranged in a U shape, was designed to meet the specific requirements of the client, who have frequent visits from extended family and friends. The house needed to be capable of being opened up and closed down depending on the number of visitors. The solution was to have formal and informal areas and guest bedrooms which could be closed off when not in use. In addition there is a guest annex with a basement music room for Mr Cooper (professional musician and manager of ‘Katrina and the Waves’).

Bluepencil Designs worked with BDesign7 using 3D modelling (internal and external) to explain the design evolution to their client and the local authority and to show what the views would be like from within the house as well as from the lane.

The clients wanted to ensure that the build quality of their house was exceptional and their preferred construction method was to use Meisterstueck Haus who could factory manufacture certain elements and then handle the full construction process on site.

Bluepencil and the client were invited to feature this house on the successful TV programme “Grand Designs”.