Nestled in a quiet area of Suffolk you’ll find Five Acre Barn; an architectural triumph offering a contemporary and holistic take on the British B&B.

Pioneered by David and Bruce, they made the pilgrimage from Peckham to establish a creative base and getaway for likeminded travellers. I made the trek to take in all the quaint glory of this accommodation, and to find out more about their brave and ambitious move.

What attracted the move from Peckham to Suffolk?

We had visited Suffolk a couple of times in the past and loved that it had retained its own authentic, personality.  Living in Peckham we welcomed the calmness and openness of the area – it’s a bit of a cliché but when you are a city dweller you really do register the vistas and Suffolk’s ‘big skies’ (and at night-time the lack of light pollution and police sirens). It seemed far enough from London not to have become just an extension to it and yet with our business heads on as it was only a couple of hours by train or car it was within in easy reach of millions seeking some respite from urban life.  When researching how to run a B&B one thing was clear – location, location, location.   You might have the most amazing offering but if there is not a compelling reason for people to visit the area in the first place then you will always struggle. We knew that Aldeburgh and Thorpeness were well-established draws and that the area massively punched above its weight. 

Guests are often surprised that two people could move from a place as urban as Peckham to somewhere as rural as Suffolk but we have found it really easy.  There are all the creature comforts that you find in the city – a thriving arts scene, great restaurants and cafes, the tardis-like Aldeburgh cinema, beautiful shops and galleries, countless festivals– as well as all the benefits of the countryside.  Ironically in London you can become very insular and complacent and not make full use of what is on offer.  We find in Suffolk we venture further afield and go out of our way to find out new places.  Perhaps it’s because our guests expect some ‘insider’ recommendations that we make more effort to know what is going on.  

What’s the story behind Five Acre Barn – what did you set out to achieve and create?

Having spent over twenty-seven years in the Royal Navy, Bruce retired in 2013.  It was a natural point to reflect and think what’s next.  As we had just finished renovating a house in Peckham this provided an opportunity to sell up to embark on a new adventure. We can’t really remember how we settled on bed and breakfast – though recently I did speak to someone with whom I worked in the early noughties and apparently it was something I used to talk about.  It’s a bit of a cliché but we enjoy meeting and talking to people and at its essence that’s what Five Acre Barn is all about.  In fact one of the things that makes us unusual is that breakfast takes place on a large table in the Barn alongside the open plan kitchen.  We therefore chat to guests as we cook so we get to know them and they get to know us.  Many people have commented that they leave feeling like house guests rather than visitors to a B&B which is exactly what we are aiming for.  

Can you talk through the architectural design and vision?

When we first started our search we focused on period properties and discovered that Suffolk was full of historic gems.  However we had this nagging suspicion that by the time we had shoe-horned en-suite bathrooms into spaces in which they didn’t belong, we would destroy whatever had attracted us to a property in the first place.  We then changed tack and looked for properties around which we could build guest accommodation. When we saw Five Acre Barn we couldn’t believe our luck.  Yes, there was a lot of work to do but it had so much potential.  

We wanted a design that would work as both a conventional bed and breakfast but that could also be rented out as a whole house (with owners’ accommodation on the side).  We based the brief around three concepts – Cost Effectiveness – Simplicity in the build – Architectural Excitement.  In a nutshell we wanted something different that would not cost us the earth.  

The challenge was to provide five generous bedrooms within a space not much bigger than the original footprint.  Our architect resolved this by taking the roofline up and creating lofty spaces into which we could fit mezzanine floors.  The result is an unusual zig-zagging roof with a room under each zig (or zag).  

We then mulled over various different building options from brutalist brick to zinc before settling on cedar shingles – giving it a ‘new England’ feel that will gently weather over time.  This is then joined to the barn via a flat roofed entrance hall with narrow vertical planks stained black (a contemporary nod to the black boarding we had seen locally).

Although we did use a London architect, we were keen to source as much as we could locally.  We were amazingly lucky to be recommended the services of Paul Rolph to turn the drawings into reality – which over fourteen months from December 2015 he did. Crucially from our perspective, Paul was prepared for us to get involved throughout the build – giving us a chance to use skills we had picked up renovating our previous house and to help contain the cost.  As a result we took on whatever task we were deemed capable of – whether it was polishing concrete floors, painting ceilings, shingling walls or tiling the many bathrooms.  As a consequence we really feel connected to what has been produced – though not to detract in any way from Paul’s superb skill and craftsmanship of course.

The connection was further cemented by living on site throughout the construction, seeing it evolve through every stage.  As this was our first build it was a revelation from the initial ‘oh no it’s tiny’ to the ‘wow it’s huge’ to the finally the ‘ah it’s just right’.

Can you talk through the interior and general ambience?

The interiors have developed over time.  Sometimes we look at early photos and we looked like severe minimalists – very little furniture, nothing on the walls and no plants. The truth was that after a relatively expensive build we didn’t have much money to furnish so we made our curtains, cushions and refurbished second hand furniture bought from local auctions. Our style has always been eclectic and that is pretty evident – part Scandi, part mid-century and part contemporary.  It reflects in part our limited budget (a lot was sourced from eBay initially) and that we are Magpies that like all sorts of things.

The result is that everyone can find something that they like or find interesting – though it does help if you like concrete and plywood as that is a core element.  Although I would never describe our styles as ‘cosy’, we hope that it feels like a home from home, somewhere in which you can relax and not fear that you are going to accidentally break something precious.

Over the six years that we have been open we have also got to know lots of amazingly talented local artists and makers and wherever possible we have sourced from Suffolk.  It’s a win win – we get to support our friends, get something unique and root ourselves in the local community.

The garden grounds are breath-taking – where did you get inspiration on this, and what varieties have you planted?

As the name suggests, we are lucky enough to have five acres of land – which is by turns both exciting and overwhelming.  About half of the land is woodland running alongside the River Hundred and the rest is garden of varying degrees of maturity.  When we arrived however the garden was mostly towering conifers, old shrubs and bramble. Bruce’s first few weeks were spent at Easton and Otley college learning how to use a chainsaw.  The following weeks saw over twenty trees being felled – we called it ‘conifer carnage’. All of a sudden, we actually had some views from the Barn previously screened off by these giants from the 1970s.

We are lucky though that we have also inherited some beautiful mature trees – a Deodar Cedar (shaped like the Harry Potter sorting hat), larch, beech and poplar.  So we have a combination of blank canvas and maturity to work with.  The soil is very sandy soil and Suffolk is one of the driest counties in the UK so it can be challenging to start a new garden.  Fortunately, a local tree surgeon provides a constant supply of chippings which we use as a mulch to keep moisture in and keep the weeds down.

There is a white garden immediately in front of the Barn – inspired by one we saw at Sissinghurst many years ago.  It turns out that it’s much harder than you imagine and there are often non-white interlopers!  Towards the end of the guest wing is a fairly conventional cottage garden full of penstemon, iris, roses, hostas, aquilegia etc.  Beyond this a Japanese-inspired garden complete with areas of gravel and a fern lined pond . At the back by the rooms there is a wilder garden full of ornamental grasses and sculptural plants that provide year round interest from the bedrooms.  Finally there is a dry garden that references Beth Chatto’s gravel garden only a few miles away just over the Essex border.

How does Five Acre Barn differ from traditional B&Bs?

I can’t say that we often stay at B&B’s so I am not sure what’s out there.  When we have looked many seem sadly stuck firmly in the past (though equally there are some fantastic ones out there).

As something purpose built we are able to deliver what we think 21st century guests want – sustainability (we are powered by solar and an air source heat pump), lots of space (every room has a seating area), access to the gardens and contemporary styling.  There is also a lot of space beyond the bedrooms available exclusively for guests in the Barn which is great for groups or just people that like to be sociable.

We offer a long breakfast menu – full English of course, eggs benedict, latkes, waffles, Indian vegan pancakes – just to name a few.  It means that breakfast is never dull no matter how long your stay.

If you look at our reviews guests do like the atmosphere we create.  We are chatty, informal and sociable.  We meet all our guests with an offer of tea and cake on their arrival.  We then chat to guests during breakfast and encourage everyone to get to know each other.  If you want some peace and quiet we can do that too and provide the space that you are looking for.

What type of guests do you typically attract?

Our guests really vary.  Quite a few, particularly at the weekend, are from London but we also have lots of guests from surrounding counties and even from Suffolk itself.  A fair few come from further afield though mostly UK based (we don’t use the big platforms like Booking.com and Expedia).  Some guests have been recommended to stay specifically with us or have are interested in the building (the guest wing was judged by RIBA to be one of the best buildings of 2018).  Many love the area, often having visited Aldeburgh since they were children.  Others are visiting for the first time – Suffolk is surprisingly unexplored – wanting to explore the coast.

We are pleased to say that many guests some back year after year, so that they feel more like friends than anything else.  We have helped mark lots of significant events, including a wedding and countless birthdays, provided spaces for work meetings and reunions.

Wrap-up

If you’re looking for a countryside escape that feels effortlessly cool, cultured and downright tranquil, Five Acre Barn serves all of this and more. To find out more and place a booking, head to https://www.fiveacrebarn.co.uk