With low slung eaves, untreated weatherboarded elevations and subtle projections and recessions, this generous family home sits sympathetically within a walled garden in the heart of this historic village.
Little Farm Barn
As first-time self builders our clients came to us with a brief for 'informal family living'. Working with a local architectural designer they had already secured planning approval for a weatherboarded, contemporary barn style property in the walled garden of their previous family home. After living in a 500-year-old period home, energy efficiency was important and Border Oak's ‘fabric first’ approach appealed to them, as well as our full build service and reputation for craftsmanship.
Externally, the house echoes the threshing barn vernacular typical of East Anglia, with a sweeping roofline and low eaves. The palette of materials is deliberately restricted - slate, boarding, grey joinery and glass - and conceived to reflect the location and weather softly over time. The ground floor is predominantly open plan with long sight lines connecting the rooms seamlessly, and eventually leading the eye to the garden beyond. There is a sense of journey and reveal, with each room having an interesting feature to create focus and interest.
Functionality has been considered throughout with a raft of hardworking hidden spaces (walk in pantry, media room, boot room, utility and home office etc.) supporting the bright, informal and generous family rooms. An independent bedroom suite on the ground floor is ideal for guests, but also offers adaptability for future needs. Large sections of glazing, including bifolds and a Juliette balcony, have been sensitively incorporated to give a modern (yet timeless) appearance.
Little Farm Barn has an expectional artisanal character, but the considered architectural detailing ensures the building is ‘of its time’ and that it contributes to the relevance of oak framing in 21st century.
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