Houzz Tour: A Run-down Barn Gets a Modern Rustic Makeover
Reclaimed materials and natural textures give an old red brick agricultural building a chic new look
One of five outbuildings on Warborne Farm, a 180-acre organic farm in the New Forest, The Old Stables cottage has been renovated by PAD studio, a local, award-winning team of architects and designers who are passionate about design and the environment.
‘The farm has been in family ownership for decades and the buildings were in a bad state of repair and no longer fit for agricultural use,’ explains Wendy Perring, project architect. ‘The family live in the main farmhouse with their three children and dog, and I got to know them as I buy my vegetables from their farm shop,’ says Perring with a smile. ‘The owners were clear they wanted something fun and quite shabby chic for The Old Stables cottage, but also a design that was contemporary and comfortable.’
‘The farm has been in family ownership for decades and the buildings were in a bad state of repair and no longer fit for agricultural use,’ explains Wendy Perring, project architect. ‘The family live in the main farmhouse with their three children and dog, and I got to know them as I buy my vegetables from their farm shop,’ says Perring with a smile. ‘The owners were clear they wanted something fun and quite shabby chic for The Old Stables cottage, but also a design that was contemporary and comfortable.’
‘The owners have been very involved in the process throughout, sourcing reclaimed materials, including the flooring and light fittings,’ Perring recalls. ‘And we’ve reused materials from the old building wherever possible.’
Stainless steel clads the unit door fronts and worktop in the kitchen, and this industrial-style material is both practical and stylish, working well with the natural wood accents and concrete floor.
Exposed internal brickwork has been painted a fresh white, adding texture and retaining the agricultural tempo of the building.
Range cooker, Rangemaster. Stainless steel units and worktops, MPM Engineering. Industrial hanging picture frames, The Den & Now.
Stainless steel clads the unit door fronts and worktop in the kitchen, and this industrial-style material is both practical and stylish, working well with the natural wood accents and concrete floor.
Exposed internal brickwork has been painted a fresh white, adding texture and retaining the agricultural tempo of the building.
Range cooker, Rangemaster. Stainless steel units and worktops, MPM Engineering. Industrial hanging picture frames, The Den & Now.
Throughout the renovation, it was important to retain the original agricultural aesthetic of the red brick outbuildings.
‘Warborne was built as a Model Farm around 1910 and is in a conservation area,’ says Perring. ‘The architects had lots of discussions with the planners regarding the refurbishment, as it is extremely difficult to get planning permission.’
‘Warborne was built as a Model Farm around 1910 and is in a conservation area,’ says Perring. ‘The architects had lots of discussions with the planners regarding the refurbishment, as it is extremely difficult to get planning permission.’
As there was no insulation and the slates were disintegrating, the whole roof had to be renewed.
Floors were all dug up, insulated and replaced with cut brick in some areas and polished concrete in others. Underfloor heating was installed to ensure that the refurbished buildings were warm and the external walls were also insulated from the inside.
Floors were all dug up, insulated and replaced with cut brick in some areas and polished concrete in others. Underfloor heating was installed to ensure that the refurbished buildings were warm and the external walls were also insulated from the inside.
All of the old windows were rotten and so they were replaced with new, solid iroko frames. ‘Many of the original ceiling beams have been refurbished with new sections of timber spliced into the old beams,’ continues Perring. ‘We kept as many as possible to retain the character.’
Discover more ways to decorate using exposed materials
Discover more ways to decorate using exposed materials
‘The owners were keen to reuse and recycle as much as possible, including the old wooden stable stalls and the cobbles unearthed when digging up the floors. The corrugated tin on the wall of the dining area was removed from another outbuilding,’ recalls Perring.
Dining table and chairs, E&A Reclamation.
Discover more ideas for bringing some industrial style to your dining space
Dining table and chairs, E&A Reclamation.
Discover more ideas for bringing some industrial style to your dining space
The handmade rustic bed is the star of the master double bedroom. It was made by Steve Johnson of KJ Kilford, a carpenter and site manager for the project, using offcuts of silver birch trunks from the farm. ‘It’s all his own design and work,’ says Perring.
A rich shade of deep navy paint was used to overhaul the exposed brick wall, creating a striking rustic silhouette for the bed frame.
Feature wall painted in Hague Blue, Farrow & Ball.
A rich shade of deep navy paint was used to overhaul the exposed brick wall, creating a striking rustic silhouette for the bed frame.
Feature wall painted in Hague Blue, Farrow & Ball.
Steve Johnson also made the striking rustic mirror frame in the master bedroom using silver birch logs and branches.
Read how to introduce a rustic vibe into your own bathroom
Read how to introduce a rustic vibe into your own bathroom
Wooden cladding on the walls brings a distinct alpine lodge feel to this bedroom. The sturdy, space-saving bunks, complete with hewn wooden posts, were also made by Steve Johnson.
Bed frame and cladding painted in Hague Blue, Farrow & Ball.
Bed frame and cladding painted in Hague Blue, Farrow & Ball.
All of the original fixtures, fittings and building materials have been reused throughout the project as far as possible. ‘The old Crittall windows were sandblasted and mirrored glass was added so they could be used as a feature in the bathroom,’ says Perring.
Shower, William Holland.
Shower, William Holland.
The elegant, freestanding bath fits in perfectly with the concrete surfaces and pared-down, modern rustic style.
Bath, William Holland. Sanitaryware, The Big Bath Company. Flooring, E&A Reclamation.
Bath, William Holland. Sanitaryware, The Big Bath Company. Flooring, E&A Reclamation.
The twin bedroom is furnished in the same colours and pared-back, rustic style as the rest of the property. Whitewashed brick walls and original wooden beams offer the simplest of backdrops for a comfortable sleeping den.
Beds, Litvinoff & Fawcett. Stockholm rug, Ikea.
TELL US…
What do you think of this converted barn? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Beds, Litvinoff & Fawcett. Stockholm rug, Ikea.
TELL US…
What do you think of this converted barn? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Owners George and Kate Heathcote and their three children, Vita, William and Henry
Location The New Forest National Park, just outside Lymington, Hampshire
Year built 1910; phase 1 refurbishment completed in 2013 and phase 2 in 2015
Size 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom and a wet room
Architect Wendy Perring of PAD Studio
Decoration Dorset Decor
‘The interiors of The Old Stables are quirky, textured and have a contemporary rural style,’ says Perring. ‘They’re very similar in look to the family’s main house.’
Designed as a guest annexe and for holiday lets, The Old Stables was refurbished along with the other outbuildings and has a rustic, lived-in feel. Comfortable seating, which was sourced locally, and a wood-burning stove create a welcoming ambience. Colours throughout stick to an elegant, classic palette of greys, indigo and pure white, with timber beams, real hides and polished concrete adding textural elements.
Walls painted in Blackened, Farrow & Ball. Sofa and chairs, Willow in Lymington. Wood-burning stove, Clearview.
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