UK Houzz Tour: A Converted Barn Gets an Industrial Makeover
Mixing materials and embracing this home’s character gave the owners the rural retreat they longed for
Emma Hedges
22 October 2021
I'm a journalist and editor, specialising in architecture, design and interiors, with a particular interest in kitchens and bathrooms.
I'm a journalist and editor, specialising in architecture, design and interiors,... More
The owners of this converted Northumberland, UK, barn had bought their new holiday home fully furnished, which had seemed like a good idea at the time. However, they quickly realised it was in need of a refresh and turned to Cathy Dean of Studio Dean for help. “The house had so much potential that wasn’t being used,” says Cathy. “Everything looked tired. It felt a bit ‘holiday cottage’ and we wanted it to feel ‘boutique hotel’.”
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with grown-up children who may stay during weekends and holidays
Location: Alnwick, Northumberland
Property: A converted barn
Size: Three bedrooms and one bathroom
Designer; Cathy Dean of Studio Dean
As the owners were keen to keep costs down, they decided to give the original flooring a facelift rather than replacing it. Cathy Dean suggested sanding it back.
Who lives here: A couple with grown-up children who may stay during weekends and holidays
Location: Alnwick, Northumberland
Property: A converted barn
Size: Three bedrooms and one bathroom
Designer; Cathy Dean of Studio Dean
As the owners were keen to keep costs down, they decided to give the original flooring a facelift rather than replacing it. Cathy Dean suggested sanding it back.
Dean also repainted the pine kitchen cupboards, reconditioned features such as the fireplace and hearth, and added some reclaimed pieces.
“We decided to go for an industrial vibe as a nod to the house’s agricultural past,” she says.
“We decided to go for an industrial vibe as a nod to the house’s agricultural past,” she says.
Although the owners were drawn to rusty colours, Dean wanted the textures of the timber, concrete and stone to come into play. “We tried to show that we could tell their colour story without it being the dominant feature,” she says.
The woodburner and hearth were already in place and the art was specially commissioned for the space.
Love what the designer has done here? Find a quality interior designer on Houzz
The woodburner and hearth were already in place and the art was specially commissioned for the space.
Love what the designer has done here? Find a quality interior designer on Houzz
To highlight the room’s character and make the space feel bigger, Dean recommended huge drop pendant lights, using the flex to emphasise the height of the room.
Going for a continuous wash instead of changing colour between the wall and ceiling also draws the eye up into the vault.
Going for a continuous wash instead of changing colour between the wall and ceiling also draws the eye up into the vault.
The ceiling beams were stained, and their diagonal shapes inspired Dean to add chevron patterns throughout the room – on this cupboard, the island bench and the splashback – as a subtle way to draw the design together.
“We didn’t want it to be a cliché, but we wanted to play with what was already there architecturally and make it cohesive,” she says.
The chevron-patterned panel conceals the TV by sliding across the log store and shelves when it’s in use.
“We didn’t want it to be a cliché, but we wanted to play with what was already there architecturally and make it cohesive,” she says.
The chevron-patterned panel conceals the TV by sliding across the log store and shelves when it’s in use.
An island bench was installed in the kitchen area to add more storage and prep space. The benchspace and dining table seat are made from a restored science-department bench.
“We added the grey concrete wall at the end of the dark kitchen, which had the effect of making the wall feel further away, and an antique mirror splashback to make the room feel longer,” says Dean.
As this is the couple’s weekend retreat, storage in the bedrooms wasn’t a primary concern, which was an advantage, as space was tight. Dean focused on making the rooms functional and beautiful. “The first one is the smallest bedroom we’ve ever had to work on,” she says.
The choice of asymmetrical panelling for a headboard, stopping stop short of the wall on one side, helped make the space feel larger, while pendant lights with long flexes added depth and free up room on the bedside tables.
Behind the wall-to-wall headboard in the guestroom, the black concrete adds drama. “We thought, this is an agricultural building, which would have had concrete walls, so let’s not make it pretty – let’s make it cool,” says Dean.
To make the house flexible for weekend visitors, Dean opted for trundle beds in the guestroom. These can be pulled all the way out to reveal shelving in the middle…
To make the house flexible for weekend visitors, Dean opted for trundle beds in the guestroom. These can be pulled all the way out to reveal shelving in the middle…
…or pushed together to make a super king, with shelves on either side.
Mindful of the tight budget, for the main bedroom Dean had a leather headboard made up and then hung it from a curtain pole.
“We wanted to do something that looked great but didn’t cost a fortune,” says Dean. “The shelves above the headboard and the curtain pole it hangs on are both shop-bought items we used to create the idea of a bespoke metal shelf and pole, and then hung the headboard from it. Having metalwork fabricated would have been significantly more cash.”
Textured wallpaper adds a touch of luxury, while the windows were painted black to give the space added depth and an industrial edge.
“We wanted to do something that looked great but didn’t cost a fortune,” says Dean. “The shelves above the headboard and the curtain pole it hangs on are both shop-bought items we used to create the idea of a bespoke metal shelf and pole, and then hung the headboard from it. Having metalwork fabricated would have been significantly more cash.”
Textured wallpaper adds a touch of luxury, while the windows were painted black to give the space added depth and an industrial edge.
In the bathroom, a stud wall (on the left) forms a shower screen. This allowed the team to slot an off-the-shelf vanity unit in the gap between the shower and the bathroom wall. The handles were switched to make the unit look more bespoke.
The nook for the vanity unit created what Dean calls “a little vignette of beauty” as a centrepiece in the tiny space. The zellige tiles were laid in a vertical pattern to visually elongate the wall.
The romance of the renovation still hasn’t ended for the owners, who continue to text Dean to tell her what a difference it’s made to their lives.
“They love staying at the house now,” she says. “Their favourite bit is the kitchen island – they’re forever having dinner parties and it’s made the house feel like home.”
Your turn
What do you love most about this Northumberland holiday home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the renovation conversation.
More
Do you love to see different countries’ approaches to home renovation? Take a look at Before & After: Parisian Flat Inspired by a Pedro Almodóvar Film
“They love staying at the house now,” she says. “Their favourite bit is the kitchen island – they’re forever having dinner parties and it’s made the house feel like home.”
Your turn
What do you love most about this Northumberland holiday home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the renovation conversation.
More
Do you love to see different countries’ approaches to home renovation? Take a look at Before & After: Parisian Flat Inspired by a Pedro Almodóvar Film
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@Sam Mokhtar Thanks for your comment. It is up to the homeowners if they want to share their floor plans with our readers, after all it is their home. In this case, it wasn't forthcoming.
Love it allows. The chevron pattern throughout ties different areas together in a fun modern way. Wonderful mix of timber, stone, art & bits of colour. I am quite inspired by the kitchen especially: the chevron subway tile, ovens at practical height, the added island with bench seat!
I'm finding that whenever a design or restoration project has Cathy Dean's name on it, then I'm sure to love the results. She does such inspiring work - I feel it would almost be worth while to move to Northumberland to have her styling advice on a house ... ! Also - it's wonderful to see great designers working somewhere other than London. This is a fabulous little bolt-hole.