This Tractor Shed in Southeast England Was Converted Into a Spacious Home – Architectural Digest

BEFORE: The footprint and overall volume of the original building has been maintained, and the existing concrete portal frame was left visible to become an important part of the homes interior.

AFTER: Timber used for the exterior cladding was cut from trees felled from the clients own land, which he blackened using a blowtorch, after scouring YouTube videos for instruction. Timbers were laid vertically and of similar proportion and rhythm to that of the original building.

Approaching the house from the north, the simple, bold openings of the elevations are evocative of the original building with its giant barn doors. Entry is now from the side through a small porch recess, a last glance of the landscape visible through a corner window, then onto the polished concrete floor. The footprint and overall volume of the original building was maintained, and we chose a restrained palette of materials to leave the interior as natural as possible, says Jane.

The scale of the barn is revealed in the main studio and open-plan kitchen. The lowered ceiling height in the adjoining dining area is intimate yet expansive, opening onto the garden and landscape beyond.

The dining area, situated in a space with a low ceiling, provides a more intimate experience. Plus, the stunning view to the land is a worthy way to dine.

A nook adjacent to the kitchen acts as an informal eating area, and looks back toward the entrance through a corner window. The concrete portal frame is a feature throughout, seen at different scales as one moves through the building.

With two spacious studios created in the design, the owner is able to produce work at home.

Because the client has a love for open spaces, the studio made sure to focus on the proportion of the rooms. The dramatic scale of the former shed is fully revealed in the entrance hall, main studio, and open-plan, oak-faced plywood kitchen. The lowered ceiling height in the adjoining dining area is intimate yet expansive, opening onto the garden and landscape beyond, while the living room benefits from a large picture window and high ceilings. Every part of the buildings volume has been fully utilized: Even the pockets of space around the edges of the sloping roof at first-floor level, with their reduced ceiling heights, have been incorporated, providing spaces for storage as well as playing hide-and-seek, says Jane.

The former single-level shed now has a second story with warm, solid oak floors and stairwell linings. Waking up to enjoy the views of the countryside was a prime consideration: a low-level window in the master bedroom is positioned for taking in the landscape while reclining in bed.

The restrained palette of materials keeps things as natural as possible, from the polished concrete floors to the single-color mosaic tiles in the bathrooms.

The stairwell is lined with oak, a warm moment to carry you up the steps.

Passive design principles were applied to the design of the home. A heat pump provides underfloor heating and hot water to the house, supplemented by two wood stoves.

The simple structure has been subdivided into two floors of both single and double-height roomsthe bedrooms are on the second floor.

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This Tractor Shed in Southeast England Was Converted Into a Spacious Home - Architectural Digest