Mr & Mrs Smith

Part psychedelic Wild West-style hacienda, part baronial hunting lodge, Cliff Barns is not what you’d expect to find in the wilds of Norfolk. Just like the Texan oil baron in Seventies soap Dallas, Cliff Barns has a unique, larger-than-life personality where exuberant cowboy kitsch is blended with wit and panache. The result is the perfect combination of ultimate party house and tranquil rural seclusion.

The owners, interior designer Shaun Clarkson and set designer Russell Hall, have let their creative talents run riot with a look that they describe as ‘rancho deluxe’. In 2002, they bought a set of derelict cow sheds and then spent two years creating their dream property almost from scratch. Featuring antique French mirrors, outsized lamps, cowhide chairs, wagon-wheel chandeliers and the odd moose head, Cliff Barns has an irresistible sense of fun – The High Chaparral in glorious Technicolor. Furnished with an artful mismatch of styles that creates ideal party spaces, the lounge and dining room are large enough for all guests to relax in comfort by the river-stone fireplaces.

The eclectic decor has been applied to the eight individual bedrooms which contain such unbridled quirkiness as floral wallpaper, chintzy curtains, silver birch branch beds and riding saddles; there’s even a ‘bunk house’ room with four adult-sized beds. Not that Cliff Barns is designed for the tough frontiersman; when it comes to comforts, the property is totally uncompromising. Console your inner cowboy with the knowledge that Davy Crockett would have indulged himself with soft white dressing gowns, handmade toiletries and luxurious wet rooms if only they’d been available on the Oregon Trail.

The central, enclosed courtyard with its sauna and hot tub enhances the atmosphere of seclusion and hedonism where you almost expect to hear ‘Housemates, this is Big Brother.’ This is the perfect setting for a barbecue on a sunny day and it’s also safe and secure for children to play. Cliff Barns is surrounded by open lawns, and in summer it’s possible to pitch teepees on the grass, either for a daytime powwow or as accommodation for extra guests. (In true party style, there’s no limit on the number of guests allowed at the house.)

The house is kitted out with a fully equipped, state-of-the-art kitchen including a caterers’ fridge and a separate drinks fridge large enough for at least 100 bottles. You can be looked after by Kay the chef, who will prepare a barbecue in the courtyard or a dinner party at the 18-seat dining table. Cliff Barns has hosted events for up to 150 people, so pretty much anything is possible – even a bucking bronco for your own impromptu rodeo.

With the same attention to detail that they have put into the decor, Russell and Shaun have thought of everything you might need, with golf clubs and an almost inexhaustible supply of board games to hand. If you find you’ve arrived at the house without that all-important glitter-covered Stetson or feather boa then simply make a beeline for Cliff Barn’s wonderful dressing-up box before any children in the house beat you to it.

Many guests are unable to tear themselves away from the house during their stay, but the peaceful Norfolk countryside is great for exploring; Cliff Barns even has its very own beach hut on the beautiful sandy shore at Old Hunstanton about 40 minutes drive away – an area famed for its shellfish. A whole range of country pursuits can be organised locally including fishing and sailing, and would-be gun-slingers can enjoy a High Noon shoot-out with clay pigeons.

Reviewed by Jim Whyte