Property Showcase: Straw Bale Cottage

Straw Bale Cottage is a fascinating single floor holiday cottage in the Heart of Suffolk. A truly unique countryside retreat due to the owner's vision of constructing the building from straw.

Yes, you heard right! A straw house may not have worked out well for the Three Little Pigs, but the owner's of Straw Bale Cottage have created an architectural delight which is not only eco-friendly, but luxurious and homely too.

You may not think of a straw as a sturdy construction material, but it is in fact incredibly versatile. It is cheap and easily available (particularly in an agricultural county like Suffolk), it also has great insulating qualities and is environmentally friendly.

In addition to this the owners also choose this material as it required little building knowledge or skills, which made it ideal for their ambitious self-build project. In addition to the straw bales, they have also used old tyres filled with gravel as pillar foundations. Not only was this a great way of recycling but it was also the ideal material for a straw house as the tyres would not absorb any moisture and it also avoided pouring tonnes of concrete into the foundations.

The owners, Richard & Rachel, built Straw Bale Cottage themselves from scratch. This included demolishing the existing farm building that originally stood in its place, designing the new property and ensuring that it was built in a way that was in keeping with its original heritage whilst remaining contemporary. This was quite a task, which took them just under 3 years to complete. And we're so glad they did!

Despite it's humble beginnings, Straw Bale Cottage has all the comforts and necessities you could ever wish for from self-catering holiday cottage. The property is finished to an incredibly high standard, with a light and airy open plan kitchen, dining and living area. This opens out onto a large decking area which has the most stunning views of the surrounding countryside. 

Thanks to the thick straw walls, Straw Bale Cottage is ideal for breaks all year round. The eco-friendly wood pellet burner in the living area, means the cottage stays incredibly warm and cosy during the winter months.

The property has 2 bedrooms and can sleep up to 4 guests. Both bedrooms are incredibly spacious and have their own en-suites, making it an ideal base for exploring the Suffolk countryside with friends or family. I'm feeling relaxed already just thinking about it...

For more information or to book Straw Bale Cottage click here.