Instant thought, Crate & Barrel would kill to do their next catalog photo shoot here. This dream home is so modernly simple that it provides the most perfect backdrop for any designer, yet at the same time, it is perfect just the way it is. And this is not just luck, thanks to McLean Quinlan Architects, clean and simple elements were introduced by selecting a simple pallet of materials including: cotswold stone floors, oak floors, beams, doors and ceilings, and white painted plasterwork.
So what is so special about this place – well, it had initially been the site of a converted barn gone bad story, and so the entire building had to be demolished. A new build meant the standard of construction and insulation would be of the very highest standard and had the added benefit of being zero rated for VAT. The energy to run the under-floor heating was created by ground source heat pumps buried in adjacent land. It also meant there needed to be consideration for the landscape for which it stood on – and so the focus and priority became to create a structure that appeared to be a traditional agricultural building.
With everyone new build comes the benefit of learning from previous mistakes, and getting new wish list items checked off. While salvaging the original stone work, the designers and homeowners set their sights high and added thoughts of two new wings to the list of other additions including: a large kitchen/family room, six bedrooms, four bathrooms, playroom, utility room, boot room, gym and changing rooms and an outdoor pool. In essence, this was created under one 9m high single space. To add warmth, structural elements were distinguished in green oak, and the ceiling was constructed in oak boarding – all balancing out the large and modern contemporary fireplace. Hello vacation pad!
Posted by Dana Pruskowski at 11 August, 2010
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