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Kitchen Tour: A High-end Design on a Scale that Suits a Barn
The kitchen in this huge open-plan space had to be big and beautiful, respecting its rural setting and fit for a family
When your home is a converted barn and you’re designing its kitchen, it pays to think big – literally. Standard-size furniture can seem Lilliputian in such a vast setting and regular kitchen fixtures and fittings may be dwarfed by the vaulted ceiling and generous footprint.
The owner of this former sheep barn in the Buckinghamshire countryside knew scale would be an important consideration when planning the kitchen. So she worked with Jamie Harding of Et Lorem on a design that could sit comfortably and handsomely within the open-plan architecture while remaining a welcoming space where family and friends could happily congregate.
The owner of this former sheep barn in the Buckinghamshire countryside knew scale would be an important consideration when planning the kitchen. So she worked with Jamie Harding of Et Lorem on a design that could sit comfortably and handsomely within the open-plan architecture while remaining a welcoming space where family and friends could happily congregate.
Jade’s home was originally two sheep barns: one large, high barn (seen here) and one that looked more like a stable block with a flat roof.
“The barns were really just shells,” she says. “The large barn was completely stripped back to the steel frame, retaining the corrugated roof. We then dug foundations around the building, built block-work walls, insulated them and covered them with vertical cladding.”
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“The barns were really just shells,” she says. “The large barn was completely stripped back to the steel frame, retaining the corrugated roof. We then dug foundations around the building, built block-work walls, insulated them and covered them with vertical cladding.”
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The kitchen had to work with the scale of the property, and that meant fitting an enormous island measuring 5m long. “That was key,” Jamie says. “If that island was a standard size, it would get completely lost in the space.”
The kitchen is a high-end German brand in a palette of warm timber tones and soft neutrals. It has an HPL (high pressure laminate) finish, which is easy to care for and durable.
“When you have a family and a dog, real timber isn’t always the best way to go,” Jamie says. “HPL is never going to mellow or change colour; it can sit in direct sunlight and is so much more durable. You can easily dent or knock real timber, but this is almost bomb-proof.” It can also be more sustainable than using solid wood.
Dramatic glass chandeliers hang from the ceiling, which is 5.5m at its apex. “The glass is recycled and has a lovely, slightly green hue,” Jade says.
Kitchen, Rotpunkt. Chandeliers, Pooky. Bar stools, Oka.
The kitchen is a high-end German brand in a palette of warm timber tones and soft neutrals. It has an HPL (high pressure laminate) finish, which is easy to care for and durable.
“When you have a family and a dog, real timber isn’t always the best way to go,” Jamie says. “HPL is never going to mellow or change colour; it can sit in direct sunlight and is so much more durable. You can easily dent or knock real timber, but this is almost bomb-proof.” It can also be more sustainable than using solid wood.
Dramatic glass chandeliers hang from the ceiling, which is 5.5m at its apex. “The glass is recycled and has a lovely, slightly green hue,” Jade says.
Kitchen, Rotpunkt. Chandeliers, Pooky. Bar stools, Oka.
The main part of the island measures around 3m and is used for food prep, cooking and serving. On either side, there’s more storage, with each section measuring around 1m.
“With any worktop material, you’re confined to the slab sizes, so rather than have unsightly joints in the island, we created that tiered detail,” Jamie says. “That way, with that really definite step, it disguised the join positions.”
“With any worktop material, you’re confined to the slab sizes, so rather than have unsightly joints in the island, we created that tiered detail,” Jamie says. “That way, with that really definite step, it disguised the join positions.”
The 2.5m high, 1.5m wide front door is metal and this is picked up on the back of the island, which has a liquid metal finish.
“When you open the front door, you can see how they match, both in terms of the material and the scale, because it’s an enormous front door,” Jamie says. “It was quite important to Jade that they sing to each other.”
Oversized bronze 101 door, Urban Front.
“When you open the front door, you can see how they match, both in terms of the material and the scale, because it’s an enormous front door,” Jamie says. “It was quite important to Jade that they sing to each other.”
Oversized bronze 101 door, Urban Front.
A walk-in pantry is hidden behind cabinet doors. “You don’t realise it’s there until you open up those big double doors,” Jamie says.
Jade was keen to have this pantry space, which would contain bulk storage. “Very early on, we discussed how to make it as easy to use as possible,” Jamie says.
Doors that open outwards are the standard and easiest choice. “But you can never leave them open in a space like this, as they would stick out into the walkway,” Jamie says. So he designed doors that open inwards, working carefully with contractors on site to make sure they functioned perfectly. “I wanted to make sure the cabinets in here were going to have longevity and be really fit for purpose,” he says.
The walk-in pantry is one of Jade’s favourite features. “It’s not only gorgeous, it’s so functional,” she says. “I can hide all my appliances, so the main kitchen run always looks clear and tidy.”
Jade was keen to have this pantry space, which would contain bulk storage. “Very early on, we discussed how to make it as easy to use as possible,” Jamie says.
Doors that open outwards are the standard and easiest choice. “But you can never leave them open in a space like this, as they would stick out into the walkway,” Jamie says. So he designed doors that open inwards, working carefully with contractors on site to make sure they functioned perfectly. “I wanted to make sure the cabinets in here were going to have longevity and be really fit for purpose,” he says.
The walk-in pantry is one of Jade’s favourite features. “It’s not only gorgeous, it’s so functional,” she says. “I can hide all my appliances, so the main kitchen run always looks clear and tidy.”
The range has drawers on either side holding pans, utensils, cutlery and other cooking kit. “It works really well from a practical point of view,” Jamie says. “You can turn and drain pots directly behind you, as the sink is opposite. It’s not just about the aesthetics, it’s the ergonomics as well. It really does work as a practical space.”
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Two different Dekton worksurfaces are used throughout, chosen for their soft texture and tonal variation. “Again, to respect the barn, we brought in a natural stone feel for the worktops, using both a Dekton with a lovely marble vein through it and one that has a concrete finish,” Jamie says.
On the range run, the back panel is the concrete effect, while the hood is the marble-style material. “They complement each other,” he says. “Rather than have the island all in one finish and the back run in another, we have a balance.”
Jamie also chose Dekton for its durability and sustainability credentials. It’s made using 100% renewable electricity and recycled water, and many colours contain recycled materials. It’s also durable, resisting scratches, stains and UV rays, which extends its life and reduces waste over time.
On the range run, the back panel is the concrete effect, while the hood is the marble-style material. “They complement each other,” he says. “Rather than have the island all in one finish and the back run in another, we have a balance.”
Jamie also chose Dekton for its durability and sustainability credentials. It’s made using 100% renewable electricity and recycled water, and many colours contain recycled materials. It’s also durable, resisting scratches, stains and UV rays, which extends its life and reduces waste over time.
The cooker hood has open shelving either side. “Jade really wanted to include a range cooker,” Jamie says. “Then you have to house the extractor somehow and we felt this was a lovely way of doing it. It softens it. When you’re looking into the space from the living area, we wanted it to look like a piece of art as opposed to an appliance. It complements the island as well and brings everything together.”
A Lacanche range cooker helps the family cater for a crowd and brings that solid, farmhouse feel that works in the barn. It’s complemented by brass handles on all the units and drawers.
Pembrey bar handles, Hendel & Hendel.
Pembrey bar handles, Hendel & Hendel.
A Quooker Cube tap provides instant boiling, chilled and sparkling water.
With expansive glazing, the whole kitchen and living space feels immersed in the surrounding countryside. “People always say it’s so beautiful and such a great spot,” says Jade, who’s thrilled with the finished design. “I adore my kitchen,” she says. “The sheer scale of it makes a huge impression.”
Tell us…
What do you think of this barn conversion kitchen? Let us know in the Comments.
With expansive glazing, the whole kitchen and living space feels immersed in the surrounding countryside. “People always say it’s so beautiful and such a great spot,” says Jade, who’s thrilled with the finished design. “I adore my kitchen,” she says. “The sheer scale of it makes a huge impression.”
Tell us…
What do you think of this barn conversion kitchen? Let us know in the Comments.
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Who lives here? Interior designer Jade Glynn, her husband and their three children
Location Bledlow, Buckinghamshire
Property A converted barn with four bedrooms and four bathrooms
Room dimensions 143 sq m, including kitchen, dining, living areas and pantry, of which the kitchen is around 42 sq m
Interior designer Jade Glynn of Willow Home Design
Kitchen designer Jamie Harding of Et Lorem
Photos by Identika
Owner Jade Glynn, who’s an interior designer, has collaborated with Jamie before. “We have a real understanding and synergy,” Jamie says. “She will have a vision, then we’ll collaborate to come up with something that works well and looks great.”
Jade wanted a kitchen that was contemporary, but also sympathetic to the architecture of the barn. “It needed to work with the natural light and high ceiling, while also keeping the space feeling open and friendly,” Jamie says.
“It was always going to be quite a light palette – nothing too bold or dominant. We didn’t want to bring in any colours that would dictate what could be done in other areas of this open-plan space,” he says.
Jade and Jamie decided on Shaker-style cabinet fronts to add a traditional look that respected the barn, with white and wood-effect finishes, brass handles and a range cooker for a farmhouse feel that suited this rural setting.