The Butcher, The Builder, and the Marshland Dream

Studio 163’s Deep Retrofit of a North Norfolk Landmark

23 April 2025 - Architecture & Interior Design - Photography by Lorenzo Zandri

Scenic gable window view overlooking Norfolk countryside and cottages.

Once a butcher’s shop.
Now a masterclass in calm, coastal living.

Set along the wild and tidal Brancaster marshes on the North Norfolk coast, Blue House isn’t shouting for attention — but look a little closer, and you’ll see why it deserves it.

The building may wear its heritage quietly, but behind that humble facade is three years’ worth of quietly radical reinvention.

Coastal village scene featuring a sky-blue modern house.

Enter: Studio 163, the design team that turned a crumbling relic into a sustainable sanctuary — without so much as breaking the rhythm of the terraced street it belongs to.

Clean-lined kitchen with white island, wood cabinetry, and Aga stove.
Blue-painted coastal home with clay roof tiles, large gable window, and traditional cottage features surrounded by green grass.

A View Worth Rearranging For

Originally, the layout was as unpredictable as the marshland weather. Sea views were demoted to knee-level windows, and the building felt, frankly, a bit confused about where to look.

Studio 163 fixed that — reorienting the entire home to face north, toward the coast, and designing a standout gable window that finally lets the inside appreciate the view outside.

It’s not flashy. It’s intentional.

A Gut Job (But Make It Gentle)

This wasn’t just a paint-and-pretty kind of project.

The original structure was lovingly dismantled (save for the shell) and rebuilt for modern life: insulation wrapped into every nook, an air-source heat pump swapped in for the outdated oil system, and a layout reworked for a growing family with lots of visitors.

There’s a Scandinavian dorm-style room for kids with bunkbeds.
Flexible zones for come-and-go guests. And a circulation flow that no longer feels like a maze of forgotten hallways.

Minimalist built-in wooden bar cabinet with open doors revealing wine bottles, glasses, and cocktail accessories, set against a clean white wall and herringbone parquet flooring.

Material World

The palette?
Restrained, but not rigid.
You’ll find tactile materials like stone, timber, lime render, and micro cement — chosen with a respect for the house’s age, but updated for how we live now.

Open-plan kitchen with tall cabinetry, island, and glass stair balustrade.
Small minimalist desk setup with floating shelves, white built-in desk, laptop, and natural wishbone chair under a window.
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Vaulted bedroom with exposed wooden beams and custom-built wardrobes fitted into the sloped ceiling, with matte black handles.
Contemporary bathroom under a pitched ceiling with textured plaster walls, a deep soaking tub, and a sculptural round sink basin.
Walk-in shower with vertically stacked cream tiles, vintage bronze rainfall showerhead, and terracotta herringbone floor.
Minimalist bathroom with soft taupe-toned plaster walls, a white freestanding bathtub, and a round vessel sink beneath a small window.

Bathroom & shower room, in particular, are where the studio let loose with details, with sleek fittings and thoughtful lighting that turns “the loo” into a minimalist’s “WOO-HOO!”

Double vanity with round mirrors and rich brown cabinetry.

A Quiet Collaboration

While the project spanned three years, it’s less of a saga and more of a symphony — with the homeowners, conservation officers, contractors, and Studio 163 working in harmony.
They even coordinated the removal of a central chimney brick by brick
(cue structural bracing and a few deep breaths).

And somehow?
After all the work, the house still looks like itself.
Only… better.

Minimalist corner with cushioned armchair by a large geometric window.
Small home workspace with built-in white desk, bookshelves, and a natural wood wishbone chair, lit by a window with Roman shade.
Cozy bedroom corner with white walls, vintage armchair, wood-framed bed, and inset shelf with black and terracotta accents.
Custom-built wardrobe fitted into a gabled ceiling alcove with sleek beige doors and contrasting black handles, located in a modern loft bedroom with exposed wood beams.

The Outcome

Blue House is now future-proofed, family-ready, and environmentally conscious — without ever sacrificing charm.

It’s been featured in Architects Journal, and there’s more buzz on the horizon.

Because in a world of over-designed seaside homes, Blue House does something refreshingly different.

It blends in.
And then, quietly, it takes your breath away.

Scandinavian-inspired wooden bunk bed unit with integrated wardrobe and drawers, crafted in light plywood with rounded knobs, set against a neutral-toned wall.
Minimal hallway featuring pale chevron wood flooring, integrated oak cabinetry, and open shelving built into white walls.
Light-filled kitchen with island, open shelving, and wood accents.
Open-plan kitchen with tall cabinetry, island, and glass stair balustrade.
Airy kitchen-dining space with white beams and built-in banquette.
Clean-lined kitchen with white island, wood cabinetry, and Aga stove.

Visit Studio 163
Photography by Lorenzo Zandri

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