Barn Conversion in Sussex

I was recommended for this job by a banker who had funded several housing developments that I had worked on previously.

The clients are farmers and had been wondering what to do with this large, empty, disused barn for several years. Eventually they decided to convert it into a luxury holiday home with three double guest bedrooms whilst retaining the option of moving into it themselves at some later stage. Because of this they required a high quality design specification.

They enlisted my help when I was just about to move to Singapore, so I carried out most of the work remotely with the client supervising the construction work. We created a very open plan space with mezzanines at each end whilst retaining all the old beams and much of the original barn detailing. This sat very tastefully next to the modern lighting, furniture and finishes.

Because the barn was to be let out, I suggested that the furniture and furnishing budget could be kept relatively low whilst at the same time making sure everything would withstand the wear and tear created by continuous holidaymakers. All fabrics were machine-washable, the sofa covers removable and any fixed upholstery was covered in scrubbable fabrics similar to those used in hospitals.

The fabric colours used throughout the project (aubergine, dark green and rust) were selected to reflect the heart of the countryside environment.

I designed all the bathrooms to be modern and minimal and the en-suite bathroom for the bedroom on the ground floor was suitable for wheel chair users.