As more of us swap swarming cities for the peace and quiet of rural retreats, there’s little in the way of compromise when it comes to space, style and design credentials. Whether a sensitively restored historic barn in Suffolk, or a smart extension to a 20th-century property, there’s plenty to choose from in one of these serene contemporary county houses.

Old into new You might be tempted to masterplan your dream home in the country but when there’s such an array of spectacular historical properties on offer, it would be remiss to start from scratch. What’s more, many of the storied homes have been brought up to date without conceding character or comfort. There are seven bedrooms and plenty of space to entertain guests at the striking Clayton Windmills in the village of Clayton in the South Downs, which was boldly remodelled by award-winning architects Featherstone Young. A late-19th-century farmhouse in the North Wessex Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty boasts six bedrooms, a swimming pool and backs onto an ancient woodland. The seven acres of gardens, with pockets of woodland, an avenue of nut trees and an orchard provide the perfect backdrop for this impressively maintained late 1930s home near Oxford. For something more demure but no less charming, the Old Granary is Suffolk and the Old Bank House in the picturesque village of Tideswell in the Peak District have both been transformed into light-filled, modern homes.

Life extension For those who need a bit more room to roam, these properties have been extended to accommodate evolving needs. This Georgian house, with Victorian elements, and a contemporary glazed extension by Tye Architects, nestles among mature trees in Cambridgeshire. There’s a knack to bringing together disparate historical elements and this enchanting house in Wadhurst and the Halzephron House that perches on the Cornish cliffs do so with aplomb. Meanwhile, a handsome larch extension works wonders for the 16th-century Potash Cottage set among the undulating countryside in Suffolk, as does a timber-clad, contemporary extension to the Pump House, found amid the rolling hills of the North Wessex Downs. A 2010 larch-clad extension brings light and volume to this 1970s redbrick set among lush gardens in the village of Sway in Hampshire.

Make hay while the sun shines For a true taste of the rural ideal, nothing beats a barn reinterpretation – the exceptional 19th-century dairy Blackmoor Barn in Suffolk was remodelled in 2010 by designer Richard van Ewyk who has an unerring eye for quality and proportion. It’s set within well-kept grounds near the bucolic village of Little Wratting in rural Suffolk. For those itching to take on a project, the Grade II-listed threshing barn in Snitterfield is waiting for new owners who are passionate about design. There are plans in place by Cullinan Studio, an internationally acclaimed architectural practice, which proposes to use natural, breathable materials such as hemp and lime to stay true to the building’s character – while the village of Snitterfield has much to offer, including an artisan farm shop, delicatessen, fishmonger, butcher and bakery.

Good to go For those with an eye for the modern, the Outhouse embedded into the wooded hillside in the Forest of Dean is an exceptionally eco-efficient, contemporary home. A mature oak woodlands and apple orchard in the Surrey Hills give shelter to Cranmore Wood, a deceptively down-to-earth 1980s five-bedroom property whose interiors are as distinctive as they are design-conscious. Another pretty wilderness near Oxted in Surrey is home to a four-bedroom house, aptly named Woodside, designed in 1972, whose sizeable south-west facing windows let in the afternoon light. A wood-panelled 1950s beauty in the Peak District – with many original features – is an architectural ode to rural living. Another modern movement gem is the Grade II-listed, L-shaped Overshot in Oxford, designed in 1937 by lauded architects Godfrey Samuel and Valentine Harding. It’s a one-of-a-kind and its lawned gardens connect up to Bagley Wood, which belong to St John’s College, but it’s possible to stroll there if you obtain a permit.

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