Houzz Tour: A Characterful Barn Conversion Gets a Clever Extension
The owners of this converted barn couldn’t extend sideways, so they dug deep to create the home they wanted in a stylish and sympathetic way
When interior designer Rosie Winston and architect Mark Ruthven visited this property with the potential buyers, it had already undergone significant works. ‘The barn wasn’t agricultural, we inherited it as something that had already been converted,’ explains Rosie. ‘But we knew they wanted to make more of it,’ adds Mark. The group went straight to the local planning authority to propose an extension, and even though the building isn’t listed, nor in a conservation area, and there’s nothing around for miles, they were turned down. ‘The planners wouldn’t have any of it,’ says Mark. The return to London was marked by deflation and disappointment, until…
‘We were in the car on the way back and suddenly thought, what if we do a basement under the barn?’ Mark explains. ‘People pay huge amounts to add basements in cities because of the lack of space, and it initially seemed absurd to do that for a home standing on 10 acres of land, but the shell was never going to provide all of the accommodation and a basement turned out to be a very sympathetic solution.’
‘We were in the car on the way back and suddenly thought, what if we do a basement under the barn?’ Mark explains. ‘People pay huge amounts to add basements in cities because of the lack of space, and it initially seemed absurd to do that for a home standing on 10 acres of land, but the shell was never going to provide all of the accommodation and a basement turned out to be a very sympathetic solution.’
The main entrance to the home leads into the original barn. ‘The thing about barn conversions,’ Mark explains, ‘is that you have a huge volume of space, but there are lots of great big trusses.’
The trick was to configure the space so some aspect of the glorious, full vertical height was preserved, while allowing enough space for some bedrooms in this old part of the house. ‘The clients wanted their living space to be in here,’ explains Rosie, ‘and then have the basement as an area for guests.’ After all, who wouldn’t choose to live among the historic charm of the old agricultural building?
The entrance leads into a spectacular formal dining area with a high ceiling and custom-made chandelier by Bruce Munro. The droplets hang down like a light shower, and were inspired by Munro’s art installation in Salisbury Cathedral. ‘This was a key aspect in the project,’ says Rosie, ‘we really wanted a beautiful light fitting in the entrance.’
The trick was to configure the space so some aspect of the glorious, full vertical height was preserved, while allowing enough space for some bedrooms in this old part of the house. ‘The clients wanted their living space to be in here,’ explains Rosie, ‘and then have the basement as an area for guests.’ After all, who wouldn’t choose to live among the historic charm of the old agricultural building?
The entrance leads into a spectacular formal dining area with a high ceiling and custom-made chandelier by Bruce Munro. The droplets hang down like a light shower, and were inspired by Munro’s art installation in Salisbury Cathedral. ‘This was a key aspect in the project,’ says Rosie, ‘we really wanted a beautiful light fitting in the entrance.’
The light fitting above the vast bespoke dining table was a tricky one to fit, as it had to be hung partially from the full-height ceiling, and partly from the bridge. Rosie wanted to keep it quite simple, so as not to draw attention away from the Bruce Munro installation on the other side of the bridge. Walnut Cherner side chairs, with a Cherner armchair at the head of the table, lend a modern edge to the space, with the dark colour then picked up in the railings and light fixture.
St Emilion floor tiles, Stone Age. Cherner chairs, The Conran Shop.
Check out what to consider before hanging pendant lights
St Emilion floor tiles, Stone Age. Cherner chairs, The Conran Shop.
Check out what to consider before hanging pendant lights
Next to the dining room is a cosy study, complete with wood-burning stove and kitted out with a built-in bench desk. As well as the study area, the room has a sofa opposite the stove, and doubles as a little nook if the clients are ever looking to get away from the open spaces and high ceilings of the rest of the barn.
Stairs lead up to a walkway that goes off to the master suite, here on the right, which is spread across two floors, with a bathroom and dressing room on the walkway level and the bedroom on the upper floor. A second suite, which became the nursery, is off to the left of the bridge, again on two floors.
For the master bathroom, Rosie adopted a contemporary approach, with natural finishes that nod towards traditional aspects of the property. The beams, painted brickwork and teak accents allow some of the barn’s original aesthetic to come through.
Bath, Castello. Tap, Hansgrohe. Shower, Vola. Toilet; ladder shelves, both Agape. Florac Limestone floor tiles, Kirkstone. Walls painted in Stone I, Paint & Paper Library.
Bath, Castello. Tap, Hansgrohe. Shower, Vola. Toilet; ladder shelves, both Agape. Florac Limestone floor tiles, Kirkstone. Walls painted in Stone I, Paint & Paper Library.
The master dressing area is adjacent to the bathroom. As dressing rooms are very individual, it was designed hand in hand with the client, explains Rosie. There are further shelves off to the right. Distressed teak wardrobes and engineered oak flooring keep the look natural.
The floating staircase, designed by Mark in glass and engineered oak, leads up to the master bedroom.
Take a look at 12 easy ways to hack your wardrobe
The floating staircase, designed by Mark in glass and engineered oak, leads up to the master bedroom.
Take a look at 12 easy ways to hack your wardrobe
Although not particularly large, the master bedroom is warm and cosy and, supported by the large bathroom and dressing rooms downstairs, offers ample space. Again, the look is clean and contemporary without losing its nod to the natural environment.
‘Lighting is difficult in this sort of space,’ explains Rosie. ‘Recessed lights can shine at unpleasant angles and create odd shadows. We chose to add in a trough detail so the light would be concealed and shine out from the sides.’
Bed, Savoir. Bedside tables, De La Espada. Bedside lamps, Porta Romana at Uber Interiors. Engineered oak flooring, Generations.
‘Lighting is difficult in this sort of space,’ explains Rosie. ‘Recessed lights can shine at unpleasant angles and create odd shadows. We chose to add in a trough detail so the light would be concealed and shine out from the sides.’
Bed, Savoir. Bedside tables, De La Espada. Bedside lamps, Porta Romana at Uber Interiors. Engineered oak flooring, Generations.
The second bathroom, situated above what became the nursery in the old part of the barn, continues the subtle country theme with soothing wood panelling and rich oak floors.
Bath, Victoria & Albert Baths. Bath tap and mixer, Hansgrohe. Sink, Victoria & Albert Baths. Loo, Duravit. Panelling paint colour, Stone IV by Paint & Paper Library.
Bath, Victoria & Albert Baths. Bath tap and mixer, Hansgrohe. Sink, Victoria & Albert Baths. Loo, Duravit. Panelling paint colour, Stone IV by Paint & Paper Library.
The main living room is a lovely open space in the original barn. Previously, the ground floor was quite dark and divided into a series of smaller rooms. ‘We opened up within the structure,’ explains Rosie. ‘We had to get planning permission, as it’s a sensitive building in conservation terms, so we had to tread carefully, but we managed to open it out to get the light through.’
Sofa, Flexform at Campbell Watson. Coffee table, Whetstone Oak.
Sofa, Flexform at Campbell Watson. Coffee table, Whetstone Oak.
The style throughout the house is comfortable, but not too country. ‘It’s slightly eclectic,’ says Rosie, ‘so for example, you have the combination of beautiful Italian sofas mixed with raw wood. It was more about keeping the palette neutral, and adding splashes of colour here and there.’ The large kilim rug, vintage and sourced by Clifton Interiors, certainly brings colour to the living area.
The built-in shelves were designed by Rosie and made up by Interior-iD, who did all of the joinery for the project. The wood-burning stove works somewhat like a large oven, with a door that pulls down to shut it. The wicker hanging chair is positioned to make the most of the view. ‘We liked the idea of the owners being able to sit near a window and look out at the landscape,’ explains Rosie.
Table lamp, Porta Romana at Uber Interiors.
The built-in shelves were designed by Rosie and made up by Interior-iD, who did all of the joinery for the project. The wood-burning stove works somewhat like a large oven, with a door that pulls down to shut it. The wicker hanging chair is positioned to make the most of the view. ‘We liked the idea of the owners being able to sit near a window and look out at the landscape,’ explains Rosie.
Table lamp, Porta Romana at Uber Interiors.
Rosie chose to install a hanging wicker chair, sourced by Clifton Interiors, to the side of the main sitting room. The open-plan nature of the space means that it’s still very much connected to the rest of the room, but in its own peaceful little nook. ‘I love the idea of being able to sit near a window and look out to the landscapes,’ she says.
Curtain fabric, Rubelli Venezia. Floor tiles, Cathedral Stone Flooring by Stone Age.
Curtain fabric, Rubelli Venezia. Floor tiles, Cathedral Stone Flooring by Stone Age.
The extended part of the property stands perpendicular to the old barn. On the first floor is the kitchen, utility room, boot room, garage and stairs down to the basement. Here, the kitchen is to the right of the glass corridor, which houses the staircase, and to its right is the utility room, followed by the boot room and garage. At the basement level are the two bedrooms and various leisure rooms.
Sustainability was important in the design of the home. Water is drawn from a well on site, and heated by the sun via solar panels above the utility room. ‘It’s completely off-grid in terms of heating and water,’ explains Mark. There’s a biomass boiler in the basement, with an entire 3m x 3m room dedicated to wood pellet storage, which a lorry refills once a year.
Sustainability was important in the design of the home. Water is drawn from a well on site, and heated by the sun via solar panels above the utility room. ‘It’s completely off-grid in terms of heating and water,’ explains Mark. There’s a biomass boiler in the basement, with an entire 3m x 3m room dedicated to wood pellet storage, which a lorry refills once a year.
For the kitchen, which is in the ground floor extension, Mark and Rosie worked with kitchen designer Artichoke. Although housed in the new extension, ‘we wanted something that kept the integrity of it being in a rural setting,’ says Rosie. ‘It has a connection through the woodwork and range cooker, but at the same time there’s a contemporary edge,’ she adds.
A palette of neutral hues and plenty of natural timbers are sharpened by a slim stainless steel worktop and slick glass splashback.
Tap, Quooker. Pendant lights, Jielde at Holloways of Ludlow.
A palette of neutral hues and plenty of natural timbers are sharpened by a slim stainless steel worktop and slick glass splashback.
Tap, Quooker. Pendant lights, Jielde at Holloways of Ludlow.
At the far end is a seating area with a more casual dining table flanked by benches. ‘The old barn has lots of beautiful areas, but people like to live in their kitchens, so we wanted to make it comfortable,’ says Rosie. The vintage bar stools are a nice contrast to the glossy Calacatta d’Oro marble island.
Floor tiles, Stone Age. Dining table, Van Rossum. Corner sofa, Flexform.
Floor tiles, Stone Age. Dining table, Van Rossum. Corner sofa, Flexform.
The utility room, also in the ground floor extension, has a definitive country vibe. ‘We picked up on the colourings in the kitchen,’ explains Rosie. The design was created by Clifton Interiors and made bespoke by Interior-iD. A boot room next door very much echoes the feel of the utility room and provides ample storage for coats, dog leads, Wellington boots, hats and other day-to-day essentials.
Floor tiles, Stone Age. Cabinets painted in Estuary, Paint & Paper Library. Sink, sinks-taps.com. Tap, Dornbracht at Walton Bathrooms.
Floor tiles, Stone Age. Cabinets painted in Estuary, Paint & Paper Library. Sink, sinks-taps.com. Tap, Dornbracht at Walton Bathrooms.
A flight of stairs in the glass corridor leads down to the basement. ‘When we dug down to do the subterranean extension, we had to do lots of shoring up to keep the 19th century structure of the barn sound while adding a whole new 21st century construction,’ explains Mark.
‘The basement was always meant to be for guests and to be a fun space – a place to do sporty-type things,’ says Rosie. A sauna, steam room, gym, playroom and music room certainly do the trick.
Read expert advice on installing a sauna in your home
Read expert advice on installing a sauna in your home
This is one of the two en-suite guest bedrooms in the basement. Rosie has chosen a natural palette with a restful pale green hue.
Bed; bedside tables, all De La Espada. Walls painted in Stone IV, Paint & Paper Library. Cushions, Bleu Nature by Clifton Interiors. Throws, de Le Cuona. Bedside lamps, Liz Emtage Ceramics. Carpet, Van Besouw.
Bed; bedside tables, all De La Espada. Walls painted in Stone IV, Paint & Paper Library. Cushions, Bleu Nature by Clifton Interiors. Throws, de Le Cuona. Bedside lamps, Liz Emtage Ceramics. Carpet, Van Besouw.
By digging a large enough hole, the architects were able to create a basement level that didn’t have the feel of being underground. Glazed, sliding doors lead out into a good-sized courtyard. ‘We’ve kept the scheme very simple, because the basement has such a great connection to the outside,’ says Rosie.
In the courtyard, oak decking and shutter concrete – which has an impression of wooden planks on the surface – create a serene mood. The space acts as a massive light well, and creates a beautifully open ambience in the basement.
TELL US…
What do you think of this creatively extended barn? We’d love to hear your views in the Comments below.
TELL US…
What do you think of this creatively extended barn? We’d love to hear your views in the Comments below.
Basement floor
Ground floor
First floor
Second floor
Location The Cotswolds
Size 4 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms
Architect Mark Ruthven of Studio Mark Ruthven
Interior designer Rosie Winston of Clifton Interiors
Although the barn had already been converted into a home, much of it hadn’t been done particularly well, explain the designer and architect. The bridge seen here was kept, and a staircase coming down from it on the other side, but virtually everything else was removed, reconfigured and refinished by Mark and Rosie.
They took down a previous extension and had a large (2,500 sq ft) basement put in underneath a new (1,500 sq ft) single-storey extension. That’s 4,000 sq ft of extra space, on top of the original barn, which is around 2,500 sq ft.
Now the old barn houses two double en-suite bedrooms, a dressing room, living room, formal dining room and study. The single-storey extension is home to the kitchen, boot room, utility room and garage, while two double en-suite bedrooms, a playroom, music studio, plant room, gym, sauna and steam room are fitted into the basement.