Displaying posts labeled "Renovation"

The barn they found is vast and it was a bit of an overwhelming prospect for the family. They loved the scale of the buildings but they wanted our team to make it cosy for the four of them as well as an epic entertaining space for bigger gatherings. Much of the beauty of the original beauty of the building had been lost behind modern insulation, poor glazing and stark flooring. Contemporary partition walls had broken up its natural flow and a mezzanine office blocked light and took away from the scale of the building. By removing metres of contemporary stainless steel walkways and staircases that blocked views and felt cold we revealed the extraordinary architectural features of the barn. New windows, antique flooring, large fireplaces to our design, traditionally made bespoke joinery, furniture and lighting all added together to make a warm and welcoming home that feels like it has evolved over time. It has been a wonderful project of collaboration with the clients and as times changed with Covid, so did our brief. A music studio was built, a swimming pool added into one of the courtyards and a tennis court will be come next. It really is the perfect country home that works as well with two people in it as it does with a huge party.
What an epic home filled with everything you could possibly need – including 3 kitchens?! I love that Emma Kirby Design de-modernized it and highlighted so much of the original architecture. Brilliant.

The original farmhouse from the previous post ended up undergoing a major renovation after Dan Pearson Studio introduced the homeowners to 6a architects.
Stripped back to bare its thick stone walls, with externally insulated slate-clad facades, this early-twentieth century house has seen a complete reconfiguration of its internal volumes and a transformation of the visual and physical connections with the surrounding coastal landscape. Previously raised on a plinth above a basement, the ground floor has been lowered to the level of the surrounding ground, elongating the existing openings. With three floors spread over the north end of the house connecting to two floors to the south, each space has a distinct volume & ceiling height, with the central stair giving clear views through the whole house across three axes. A series of air-dried oak beams make up the exposed primary structure spanning between the existing stone, and larger structural interventions within this masonry are made in in-situ concrete, cast against timber formwork echoing the timber panelling throughout the house. 
The resulting home is so spacious and quite beautiful, though I am saddened that most of the stone walls were painted. It does lighten the spaces but you loose all the wonderful texture.

Architect and interior designer Brina Vizjak wrote us about an apartment in the center of Ljubljana, Slovenia she renovated (which was converting 2 adjoining apartments into 93 square meters space) with fellow architect Maja Laurence. Beautiful views, high ceilings, a multi apartment house full of historic materials and subtle architecture details. Charming at first sight, with great potential but outdated floorplan; the bathroom had a beautiful view to the city skyline, whereas the kitchen was cramped in the darkest corner facing the inner yard. Long and oversized corridor dominated the surface. Some walls were removed and the program was completely repositioned. The kitchen was moved to a brighter part of the apartment, combined with the living area to create a nice and cosy family space filled with light. Bedrooms were moved furthest from the entrance, to create some intimacy. Length of the corridor was broken by openings and circular fluidity around remaining wall, that connected entrance with living area. Grand round mirror welcomes you on this entrance wall and the rich walk-through experience begins. Spaces are filled with textures and colors. From copper details in the hardware to patterned floor tiles characterizing different spaces and from nicely detailed wallpapers and fabrics in bedrooms to dark navy kitchen that gives a contrast to a living area in warmer tones. All the walls are painted in light beige color, creating soft wrap and a clear canvas for the art pieces and antique furniture.
I love the built-in storage elements in each space and the playfulness and use of colour throughout the apartment. Also, totally crushing on the entryway and that adorable little built-in bench to sit and put shoes on. Photos: Janez Marolt

When our clients, a stylish family with teenage children, decided to leave Manhattan for the country, they naturally gravitated to the Hudson Valley, where the husband is originally from. The wife, a prominent lifestyle journalist and editor known for her creative entertaining, immediately saw the potential in this unexpected property, although it is distinctly different from the Greek Revival farmhouses the area is known for. The house was originally a 1940s dairy building, part of a larger farm that was split off and sold in the 1960s. The rest of the renovation also honors the building’s origins and we maintained many of the original details, although it required a complete overhaul to transform what had been an agrarian, industrial compound replete with concrete floors and a warren-like layout, into a warm, light-filled residence. In addition to reconfiguring the floor plan to create a more natural flow throughout the interior spaces, we lifted roof lines and added a primary suite. Our client led the interior decoration, designing chic, flexible spaces that function well for daily family life and easily morph into rooms that suit her famed “the-more-the-merrier” dinner parties and cocktail gatherings. 
There’s a coziness, a don’t-take-your-shoes-off casualness to this home, but touches of elegance and grandeur as well that elevate it. By Schafer Buccellato Architects.

Originally situated on a neighboring property, this three-story barn was relocated to its current site in the early 1900s. Decades had passed since its last update or maintenance, typical of barn conversions. The project’s success relied on salvaging the compromised structure, with plans for a loft bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom. Stripping away exterior layers, reconstruction commenced on the foundation and timber frame, resulting in an insulated shell adorned with new windows, siding, and roofing. Inside, the exposed timber frame against tinted plaster walls created a rustic yet contemporary ambiance, accentuated by the honest structural enhancements of steel brackets, tie rods and I-beams merging traditional and modern elements seamlessly. Hudson Valley Barn by Hendricks Churchill.

Photography by Chris Mottalini.