An all encompassing design from the conversion of a threshing barn and reconfiguration of the conjoined farmhouses to the design of bespoke joinery and furniture and the sourcing of decorative lighting, objects and soft furnishings.

An early decision was made to raise the existing barn trusses and lower its floor to create a dramatic double height volume in two thirds of the space leaving the final third for a utility and loo with a mezzanine study above.

The original king post and bottom chords were reused and occasional new webbing posts were inserted. All timber was de-nailed and lightly sanded to remove the darkened varnish and despite a new roof, the reclaimed roof tiles and wonky ridgeline produced the feeling of minimum intervention. In reality the fabric of the barn had to be efficiently insulated with new windows and there was the obvious replacement of the large barn doors with a bespoke bronze glazing system.

It was this juxtaposition of new and ancient that played out so well such as the brick with lime mortar and the threshing barn shutters against the micro cement floor and limed plywood staircase and mezzanine. This contemporary palette extended into the remainder of the refurbished outbuildings so that when it came to the junction between the barn and host farmhouse, the change to a more period- based set of materials was an obvious and easy transition. Wide existing floorboards were made good and re-stained, layers of yellow sealant removed from existing flagstones and painted timber wall and ceiling beams sanded and limed. This clear honouring of the period building still gave us an opportunity to design bespoke contemporary joinery, specify a variety of complementary hard finishes elsewhere as well as providing a full interior decorative service, that sourced special items of furniture, decorative lighting and objects.