Barn Storming

Not much was left of this Sussex barn after amateurs had a go. Listed Grade 2, they got in a mess with authority and fortunately sold it on to our client. The design was poor, with just two bedrooms and main barn filled with little rooms. Not how you respect the original structure nor sense of barness- the wonderful space. But a neat design trick changed the financial position to strike gold.

Stripped to less than a shell, what we started with......a wreck. Goldhawk Barn. The authority storm passed when entrusted to the architect and a great team of contractors and specialists, who undertook a masterful repair and addition to the oak framed C16th Listed building.

What the client gained, after a new planning permission and significant changes to plans.

Vaughan Keal + Associates completely revised the scheme and returned to planning for a new approach. Clearing out the rooms from the main barn was a key stroke. There was a range of lower buildings forming a courtyard on one side where the space had not been fully realised nor released for useful function. These buildings were to have better use made of them, to house all the bedrooms and so clear the barn itself for return to a big grand space. The range buildings were found to be tall enough to have two storeys, so more bedrooms were provided giving three more, and as a consequence with five bedrooms the value raised, the asset raised, the project could have more investment and although a tight control was placed on the scheme by the architect, sticking to it meant the client felt comfortable adding the bling in finishes, which included some other jewels.......

Cross section through the main barn space, illustrating the cleared space and new fireplace stack.

The fireplace stack has a lovely curve to apex, with careful detailing, slag glass 'galleting' has been inserted into the mortar joints so the whole sparkles in the light, another part of the jewellery throughout the barn.

The main Living-Room open barn space, giving the full scale of barn living. To the centre a bespoke stair made with glass treads as a centre feature. The glass has snapped ends, polished in wavy shapes, light is shattered into prism shapes making water patterns inside. Part of the jewellery. The stair and rail and balustrade, is made as light as possible, so it becomes seemingly transparent to retain the open space nature. The gallery rail has an oak 'wing' balustrade when down as shown becomes a seat, with kids visiting it lifts and clicks to fully guard the upper space.

A unique Kitchen Island

Made in frames, like the structure of a timber ship's hull, each gap allows for a kitchen base unit to be mounted on castors, with it's own matching timber top. These can be drawn out for extra worktop around you or pulled around like a hostess trolley to transport the contents to other spaces, such as crockery to the formal dining area.

A versatile development of design turning standard components into something greater than the sum of it's parts. Design by Vaughan Keal.

This barn was a pleasure to design and bring into fruition.

Vaughan Keal