Architecture Wednesday: The Old Barn

Once a farm building, The Old Barn is now a remarkable six-bedroom home that sits in an elevated plot with commanding views over the quiet village of Chelsworth, Suffolk. The design embraces its pastoral setting while establishing a contemporary style. Exposed materials are celebrated throughout, with an impressive triple-height timber structure, original brickwork, and plywood elements.

To preserve the architectural integrity of the building, the main barn was kept as a single volume, its original oak frame restored and integrated with new sections of French oak. Sheets of weatherboard plywood clad the interior, and the roof has been rebuilt with lightweight steel truss supports.

The main entry is to an impressive ante-room, where brick floor pavers and concrete walls set an authentic appeal set against a bank of yellow door fronts that open to reveal handy storage, utility facilities, and a small powder room.

A pair of symmetrically positioned stairs sweep up to the open-plan reception area in the main section where you find those dramatic full-height ceilings. Expansive windows reach upward from the former barn door to extend across portions of the roof flooding the room with light. Limestone floors with underfloor heating ground the space which is arranged centrally around a large dining area with a bespoke kitchen beyond.

Professional stainless-steel units are configured as a U-shaped island, with easy-to-maintain surfaces, raised plug sockets and seating space at the opposite end that is oriented toward low-level slit windows that frame panoramic views of the landscape. At the opposite end of the great space is the double-height living area with exposed original beams and slit windows to frame the views. The great room opens onto a generous terrace with an outdoor dining area and a barbecue.

A white-painted wall marks the boundary between the main section and the four-story extension that houses all six bedrooms. The principal suite is discreetly positioned on the lower ground floor with direct access to the garden. East-facing panels draw in the soft morning light. A set of curtains opens to an en suite with a round spa bathtub, built-in wardrobes, and a door to a separate water closet. 

One of the bedrooms on the ground floor also has an en suite bathroom, along with access to a small balcony. There are three more bedrooms on the first floor, and another en suite bedroom on the second floor. A pristine additional bathroom on the first floor has a bathtub, ideal for long soaks.

The house is immersed in well-maintained private grounds of around an acre, mainly laid to lawn and interspersed with established trees and planted sections. To the front, the private driveway has space for parking multiple cars.

The Old Barn can be yours for just £1.550M or $2.075M USD.

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