Barn Conversion
The Great British countryside is dotted with beautiful old farm buildings that are rich in history, tradition and hark back to an era of hand-built buildings and local crafts. Wherever you go in the UK there will be at least one barn conversion in the window of the local estate agents, and you can be sure it won’t be there for long! The modern barn conversion fashion is more than a passing trend, and it seems there is not a soul in the country who hasn’t seen a barn conversion and hoped it was up for sale.
What is it about a Barn Conversion that we love so much?
Known under the generic term of ‘barn conversion’, any classic farm building can have a conversion to take it from its original purpose as an agricultural building to a building suited for modern domestic life. Farm buildings like the barn, cowsheds, milking parlours, farmhouses, stables, granaries and even hen houses are having conversion work to turn them into living spaces, homes and apartments for the modern age.
A barn conversion is the perfect way of marrying the old and new together. Classic farm buildings are robust, sturdy buildings that look like they will outlast time itself (and probably will). There is an honesty in the original beams, old hand cut stonework and red brick walls that draws us back time and again with longing for an era of design before prefabs and mass production. Often a modern barn conversion will use classic construction pieces like original wooden beams as design features to be celebrated and great care and effort is taken during a good barn conversion to protect as much of the original building as possible.
Barn Conversion Features
A barn conversion is not just about the old but is also about bringing in the new. Original windows and doors are often replaced with wood effect uPVC frames to allow for more energy efficient double glazing and insulated finishes. Additional interior walls can take a barn conversion from large storage hall to carefully crafted living spaces and make space for plumbing, wiring for electrics and even central heating bringing all the most modern features to the space.
The barn conversion really comes into its own when the décor and design complement the existing older, more natural features. By using a rustic, neutral colour palette and avoiding hard, modern materials like prefabricated plastics, sheet metal and glass, a barn conversion can keep the rural feel and warm cosy appeal of the farm environment. This doesn’t mean that the space must be old fashioned, and a good barn conversion makes the best of both worlds.
Getting a Barn Conversion
Planning a barn conversion takes skill and planning. The building contractors on a barn conversion need to be experienced and have a good understanding of traditional and modern building methods. For a barn conversion project in the area around Bodmin and the South of England, contact Steven Hoskens on 0120 873 085.