Rustic revival Modern kitchen design in a converted barn
This kitchen was created as part of a whole barn conversion.
Pip Applegate, 38, and her husband Lee Scutter, 40, moved into their home in February 2014, and live there with their two-year-old daughter Georgia. As part of the renovation they took care to preserve the barn’s original structure while creating a contemporary layout.
HOUSE BEAUTIFUL SAYS... ‘Simple Shaker-style units have a classic look that links well with the traditional building. The light oak and pale greys match the structural beams and staircase and bring a stylish, contemporary look to the scheme.’
What did you want for your new kitchen?
Our former house was a three-bedroom cottage where the kitchen felt isolated from the rest of the house. It was also a bit of a thoroughfare, so we were keen to avoid the same issues this time around. We wanted to create a real hub of the home, like a traditional farmhouse kitchen, with all the benefits of modern open-plan living.
Tell us how you got started
To begin with we chose a simple colour palette to complement the barn’s original features. Throughout the process we worked with the local planning department to make sure the design was sympathetic to the building’s heritage.
Did you have help from a designer?
Yes, some friends recommended Luke McHardy. It worked out brilliantly having him on board as he understood exactly what we wanted and contributed good ideas himself.
How did you approach the layout?
The island forms a barrier between the kitchen and the rest of the space. To keep sound levels down and hide the unsightly
appliances, we built a separate utility area for the washing machine and dryer and then put the fridge in the pantry.
Tell us about the colour scheme
It was probably the thing we most struggled with. As the cabinets were handpainted there was a lot of pressure to get it right, but in the end we chose pale and dark grey to go with the limestone floor tiles. We wanted oak for all the worktops, to match the doors and stairs, but we felt it wouldn’t be robust enough for chopping and hot pans, so opted for quartz, which coordinates with the floor and paint colours, for the more hardworking areas.
Describe the lighting…
There are three layers. Downlighters are fitted in the slim recessed windows to highlight them; we have task lighting under the wall units and the extractor; and pendants are suspended over the island for background lighting and to create an eyecatching feature.
What do you love most about the space?
I never get bored with looking at it. We’ve been here for three years and I feel we’ve achieved what we set out to do. It still feels as good as new and the time we took planning everything has really paid off.