Rural barn converted into modern eco house

OWNER Miranda Tufnell

PROJECT Conversion

LOCATION Northumberland

SIZE 93m2

PROJECT COST £197,300

COST PER M2 £2,122

This stone barn was little more than a ruin when Miranda Tufnell first saw it. “It looked much smaller and darker than it does now,” she says. “But the sense of peace and tranquillity inside was extraordinary.” The owner, Stephen – a local builder who had bought the barn along with the neighbouring property 10 years previously – had planning permission to turn the structure into a threebedroom home, but Miranda had other ideas. “I didn’t want to live in a house with lots of rooms,” she says. “I wanted bright, open spaces, maintaining the integrity of the barn wherever possible.”

Miranda bought the barn in its run-down state and agreed for Stephen to do the building work. Keen to create an energy and environmentally efficient home, she employed the design skills of eco architect Andrew Yeats. “He understands the concept of freeflowing spaces and lots of natural light,” she says.

Work started at the beginning of a long, cold winter and the conditions felt extremely harsh on the exposed site. Restrictions from the planners meant minimal new openings could be made and only original materials used on the exterior. Half of the building was in such a poor state that it had to be demolished and reconstructed, with all the stone comprehensively lime pointed. A cement-free plaster mix was used instead of drylining to allow the old stone walls to breath and reduce the risk of damp. Underfloor heating was installed into the new ground floor structure, powered by an air source heat pump, and water comes from a natural spring. Triple glazing helps to keep out the chill and retain the heat inside.

The layout of the finished home is simple yet effective and every element has been considered to be as ecologically sound and environmentally friendly as possible. The ground floor is open-plan and features a double-height vaulted ceiling above the living space, while a mezzanine level extends across half the barn, hosting the bedroom and bathroom. Miranda loves the sense of peacefulness and brightness in her new home, plus being able to see the rolling landscape through the picture window.

Full story online: www.self-build.co.uk/tufnell