My Houzz: An English Barn Conversion with Provençal Appeal
Rebuilt, remodelled and decorated in a pale palette, this beautiful barn showcases its owners’ classic country style
Creating this family home was, to put it mildly, a long-term project. When Emma Sims Hilditch and her husband John bought a derelict 18th-century schoolhouse and headmaster’s cottage more than 20 years ago, the barn wasn’t even part of the deal. “Its walls were crumbling and it was used by the local farmer to store hay bales,” says Sims Hilditch. “Then, 10 years on, we were lucky enough to have the chance to buy it.” Rebuilt and restyled with classic French farmhouse charm, the barn’s lofty spaces and cosy corners now have a timeless appeal.
The stairs leading up to the bedroom may look centuries old, but they were created by Sims Hilditch’s husband. “They’re breeze blocks rendered in a lime plaster which has a lovely texture and there are steel rods running through it to hold it up,” she says.
The bespoke fireplace, designed by the couple, is made from French limestone.
Bespoke fireplace, Architectural Heritage. Wood burner, Jotul.
Sisal carpet, Crucial Trading.
The bespoke fireplace, designed by the couple, is made from French limestone.
Bespoke fireplace, Architectural Heritage. Wood burner, Jotul.
Sisal carpet, Crucial Trading.
A sliding ladder provides access to an elevated library, which draws the eye up to the full height of this cavernous building. “It was going to just be an ordinary wall (it has the main bedroom on the other side), but we decided to build it deep enough to put books in,” says Sims Hilditch.
Woodwork painted in French Grey, Neptune.
Avid reader? See these fabulous ways to display books
Woodwork painted in French Grey, Neptune.
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Sims Hilditch made the most of the building’s scale and put glazing in place of the original barn doors. “We wanted the double height space to give that amazing lofty, French farmhouse feel,” she says.
Armchairs, George Smith;
re-covered in striped fabric, Nobilis.
Armchairs, George Smith;
re-covered in striped fabric, Nobilis.
“The natural palette we’ve used really suits the building materials. It lets the architecture do the talking. It’s very easy to live with – calm, I suppose,” says Sims Hilditch.
French limestone paving slabs, Artisans of Devizes. Door frames painted in Parma Gray, Farrow & Ball.
French limestone paving slabs, Artisans of Devizes. Door frames painted in Parma Gray, Farrow & Ball.
A large mirror bounces light around in the hallway and reflects the warm colour of the stone. An antique clock nestles in the corner next to the cloakroom. “The Grandfather clock is one of our few family heirlooms. It has a beautiful walnut casing and fits in there perfectly,” says Sims Hilditch.
Console table, Flamant.
Console table, Flamant.
If you walk through the kitchen you reach the garden room. “We use it a lot in the summer,” says Sims Hilditch. “It’s a lovely long room – a lean-to almost.”
When the roof was reconstructed (using reclaimed tiles), a glazed strip was introduced to increase the light. The structural beams are Douglas fir with inexpensive builder’s merchant’s softwood for the rafters and the boarding underneath. “We lime washed it with water and emulsion paint and that gave it a nice colour. I hate orange wood!” says Sims Hilditch.
The stairs lead up to the main bedroom.
Havana Lloyd Loom chairs, Neptune.
When the roof was reconstructed (using reclaimed tiles), a glazed strip was introduced to increase the light. The structural beams are Douglas fir with inexpensive builder’s merchant’s softwood for the rafters and the boarding underneath. “We lime washed it with water and emulsion paint and that gave it a nice colour. I hate orange wood!” says Sims Hilditch.
The stairs lead up to the main bedroom.
Havana Lloyd Loom chairs, Neptune.
Bifolding doors mean the garden room can be opened up to the outside. The leaded windows on the right are part of the cottages, which are now connected to the barn.
“We needed to underpin the barn to give it structure and strength, and at the same time we decided to dig out a wine cellar,” says Sims Hilditch. “You’re sort of underground in this room – it’s not down any steps but you’re right against the bank.” The floor is made from brick tiles – reclaimed Polish bricks cut down into thin tiles.
The main bedroom has a partition wall with a basin and WC on one side and a shower on the other. “When you’re in the shower, you can see the pitch of the roof,” says Sims Hilditch.
Bespoke bed frame painted in French Grey, as before. Sisal carpet, as before.
Bespoke bed frame painted in French Grey, as before. Sisal carpet, as before.
The classic free-standing furniture includes a huge antique mirror, informally propped against the wall. “We didn’t want fitted furniture in that room, it wouldn’t have worked,” explains Sims Hilditch.
Chichester wardrobes and chest of drawers, Neptune. Lamp, Flamant.
Chichester wardrobes and chest of drawers, Neptune. Lamp, Flamant.
A claw-foot tub sourced by a local antiques dealer and painted by Sims Hilditch sits in the corner of the main bedroom.
“We didn’t have room to put the full blown en suite here, so this was a solution,” she says. Views from the window stretch out along the river down into the valley.
Bath painted in Pigeon, Farrow & Ball.
“We didn’t have room to put the full blown en suite here, so this was a solution,” she says. Views from the window stretch out along the river down into the valley.
Bath painted in Pigeon, Farrow & Ball.
The open roof means the whole of the top floor enjoys light from the Velux windows in the bathroom. The oak bedside table is a prototype that hasn’t yet gone into production.
Fabric on headboard, Designers Guild.
Fabric on headboard, Designers Guild.
The master en suite has a pared-back, rustic feel with walls that echo the slats of the roof above.
Chichester washstand, Neptune.
Chichester washstand, Neptune.
Low ceilings and leaded windows create a traditional feel in the cottages, which were the first part of the property to be renovated. The wooden door leads to a utility room.
Curtain fabric, Mulberry Home.
Curtain fabric, Mulberry Home.
The children have now left home but they all have bedrooms in the restored adjoining cottages. Classic floral and gingham fabrics create a rustic look.
Next to the sitting room in the former stables is an informal covered dining area that’s perfect for outdoor entertaining.
Choosing the right materials was key to this painstaking project. “We could have used newly quarried stone, but we really wanted that lovely patina that you get with 200 years of ageing,” explains Sims Hilditch. “We had to go to lots of reclamation yards in the area to find the big ashlar stone blocks to make the pillars where the arch of the barn doors were.”
As the barn is Grade Two listed, the couple had to work within certain restrictions. “We wanted double glazing but the planning department weren’t happy about having fat glazing bars – fortunately, we found a company that makes a product that’s about half the thickness of most,” says Sims Hilditch.
Glazing, Slimlite.
Do you have a favourite detail in this converted home? Tell us in the Comments below.
As the barn is Grade Two listed, the couple had to work within certain restrictions. “We wanted double glazing but the planning department weren’t happy about having fat glazing bars – fortunately, we found a company that makes a product that’s about half the thickness of most,” says Sims Hilditch.
Glazing, Slimlite.
Do you have a favourite detail in this converted home? Tell us in the Comments below.
Who lives here Emma Sims Hilditch of Sims Hilditch and her husband John Sims Hilditch of Neptune
Property A converted barn, schoolhouse and headteacher’s cottage, originally built as three workmen’s cottages in 1790, now one connected space
Size 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and a downstairs cloakroom
Location North Wiltshire
Architect Mark Watson of WB&F
Photos by Polly Eltes
The process of redesigning and then rebuilding the derelict barn took around two years. Not bad, considering the scale of the job, which also involved sourcing reclaimed local stone and connecting the cottages (also restored by the couple), to create one linked space. “We were doing it on a budget, designing and building it ourselves,” says Sims Hilditch. “An architect did the planning application for us because it’s a listed building, but we did the whole interior – that’s what we specialise in.”
Sims Hilditch and her husband are both involved in interior design – she runs her own consultancy and he is the co-founder of furniture company Neptune, whose pieces and prototypes can be seen dotted around the barn and adjoining cottages. But even with all that experience, the project had its challenges. “Working on your own home when you’re a designer is so hard because you know all the options out there. To hone in on that is very difficult. With a client, we have a vision and stick to it. But when it’s your own house, it’s a different ball game!” explains Sims Hilditch.
The result is an elegant yet rustic home. “I wanted to make it feel like a Provençal retreat,” she says. “I love Provence and their stone is very similar to Cotswold stone.”
The kitchen was originally installed in the adjoining cottage. “It was the first kitchen ever made for John’s company, so we wanted to bring it with us,” says Sims Hilditch.
Montague Lloyd Loom chairs; kitchen painted in Lily; island painted in Mist, all Neptune.
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