Converted Hay Barn

As part of a larger project, the client's brief was to make a very simple , minimalist conversion of a corrugated hay or "Dutch" barn. As well as keeping material and building costs low, she particularly wanted a rustic industrial look, using bare scaffolding to build the mezzanine 1st floor and leaving everything as open as possible.

Light was a key factor, so many cast-off double-glazed units were sourced, as well as double layers of polycarbonate to provide long shafts of light while maintaining privacy.

The client wanted to keep the final finish as bare plywood and avoid the need for plastering, and electrics were surface mounted in galvanised conduit to complete the industrial look and feel. A second "bedroom" was later added, suspended by the ceiling with a chain.

With careful attention to maximise use of space, an unusual and adventurous home was created, well within budget, that managed to have separate rooms and open space simultaneously.