Making the connection
Today, the house comprises two pitched-roof barn structures that sit perpendicular to one another. The front ‘public’ barn accommodates the living and dining areas, kitchen and scullery, all flanked by a pool and al fresco dining area.
The second more ‘private’ barn is home to the main en-suite bedroom on the lower level and the children’s bedrooms on the upper loft level.
Saskia and Matthew cleverly connected the two barns by way of a single-level bridge building that houses a home office and an indoor/outdoor bathroom. “Often, connector areas tend to become nothing more than corridors; it was important that it have a life and distinct function of its own too,” says Saskia. And in response to Francien and Casey’s request for a connection between every room and the outdoors, a veranda that runs around the entire house was integrated into the design.
When it came to materials, the couple went with what they liked in a price bracket they could afford – with great results. Namely, bagged brick that fitted in with their contemporary aesthetic while also fulfilling their desire for texture. At the same time, floor-to-ceiling industrial-style windows further enhanced the connection between indoors and out. >>