Good shot of the modern railing in a contemporary/modern/transitional design aesthetic. The dichotomy of the steel against the warm light wood floors accentuates new vs. old.

Painted hardwood orangery with timber roof lantern and timber bi folding doors. Timber French Doors with balconies to First Floor and 5 leaf bi folding doors to Kitchen.

Shortlisted for the prestigious ​Stephen Lawrence National Architecture Award​, and winning a RIBA South East Regional Award​ (2015), the kinetic Ancient Party Barn is a playful re-working of historic agricultural buildings for residential use. Our clients, a fashion designer and a digital designer, are avid collectors of reclaimed architectural artefacts. Together with the existing fabric of the barn, their discoveries formed the material palette. The result – part curation, part restoration – is a unique interpretation of the 18th Century threshing barn. The design (2,295 sqft) subverts the familiar barn-conversion type, creating hermetic, introspective spaces set in open countryside. A series of industrial mechanisms fold and rotate the facades to allow for broad views of the landscape. When they are closed, they afford cosy protection and security. These high-tech, kinetic moments occur without harming the fabric and character of the existing, handmade timber structure. Liddicoat & Goldhill’s conservation specialism, combined with strong relationships with expert craftspeople and engineers lets the clients’ contemporary vision co-exist with the humble, historic barn architecture. A steel and timber mezzanine inside the main space creates an open-plan, master bedroom and bathroom above, and a cosy living area below. The mezzanine is supported by a tapering brick chimney inspired by traditional Kentish brick ovens; a cor-ten helical staircase cantilevers from the chimney. The kitchen is a free-standing composition of furniture at the opposite end of the barn space, combining new and reclaimed furniture with custom-made steel gantries. These ledges and ladders contain storage shelves and hanging space, and create a route up through the barn timbers to a floating ‘crows nest’ sleeping platform in the roof. Within the low-rise buildings reaching south from the main barn, a series of new ragstone interior walls, like the cattle stalls they replaced, delineate a series of simple sleeping rooms for guests.

Shania Shegedyn Photography

Beautiful stair landing leading into main area.

Painted hardwood orangery with timber roof lantern and timber bi folding doors. Timber French Doors with balconies to First Floor and 5 leaf bi folding doors to Kitchen.

Philip Lauterbach

Kevin Mc Feely

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Working with this Glen Ellyn client was so much fun the first time around, we were thrilled when they called to say they were considering moving across town and might need some help with a bit of design work at the new house. The kitchen in the new house had been recently renovated, but it was not exactly what they wanted. What started out as a few tweaks led to a pretty big overhaul of the kitchen, mudroom and laundry room. Luckily, we were able to use re-purpose the old kitchen cabinetry and custom island in the remodeling of the new laundry room — win-win! As parents of two young girls, it was important for the homeowners to have a spot to store equipment, coats and all the “behind the scenes” necessities away from the main part of the house which is a large open floor plan. The existing basement mudroom and laundry room had great bones and both rooms were very large. To make the space more livable and comfortable, we laid slate tile on the floor and added a built-in desk area, coat/boot area and some additional tall storage. We also reworked the staircase, added a new stair runner, gave a facelift to the walk-in closet at the foot of the stairs, and built a coat closet. The end result is a multi-functional, large comfortable room to come home to! Just beyond the mudroom is the new laundry room where we re-used the cabinets and island from the original kitchen. The new laundry room also features a small powder room that used to be just a toilet in the middle of the room. You can see the island from the old kitchen that has been repurposed for a laundry folding table. The other countertops are maple butcherblock, and the gold accents from the other rooms are carried through into this room. We were also excited to unearth an existing window and bring some light into the room. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Alan Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Stuart Aldrich

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Working with this Glen Ellyn client was so much fun the first time around, we were thrilled when they called to say they were considering moving across town and might need some help with a bit of design work at the new house. The kitchen in the new house had been recently renovated, but it was not exactly what they wanted. What started out as a few tweaks led to a pretty big overhaul of the kitchen, mudroom and laundry room. Luckily, we were able to use re-purpose the old kitchen cabinetry and custom island in the remodeling of the new laundry room — win-win! As parents of two young girls, it was important for the homeowners to have a spot to store equipment, coats and all the “behind the scenes” necessities away from the main part of the house which is a large open floor plan. The existing basement mudroom and laundry room had great bones and both rooms were very large. To make the space more livable and comfortable, we laid slate tile on the floor and added a built-in desk area, coat/boot area and some additional tall storage. We also reworked the staircase, added a new stair runner, gave a facelift to the walk-in closet at the foot of the stairs, and built a coat closet. The end result is a multi-functional, large comfortable room to come home to! Just beyond the mudroom is the new laundry room where we re-used the cabinets and island from the original kitchen. The new laundry room also features a small powder room that used to be just a toilet in the middle of the room. You can see the island from the old kitchen that has been repurposed for a laundry folding table. The other countertops are maple butcherblock, and the gold accents from the other rooms are carried through into this room. We were also excited to unearth an existing window and bring some light into the room. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Alan Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Bronwyn Poole

Set upon an oversized and highly sought-after creekside lot in Brentwood, this ​two story home and full guest home exude a casual, contemporary farmhouse style and vibe. The main residence boasts 5 bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms, each ensuite with thoughtful touches that accentuate the home’s overall classic finishes. The master retreat opens to a large balcony overlooking the yard accented by mature bamboo and palms. Other features of the main house include European white oak floors, recessed lighting, built in speaker system, attached 2-car garage and a laundry room with 2 sets of state-of-the-art Samsung washers and dryers. The bedroom suite on the first floor enjoys its own entrance, making it ideal for guests. The open concept kitchen features Calacatta marble countertops, Wolf appliances, wine storage, dual sinks and dishwashers and a walk-in butler’s pantry. The loggia is accessed via La Cantina bi-fold doors that fully open for year-round alfresco dining on the terrace, complete with an outdoor fireplace. The wonderfully imagined yard contains a sparkling pool and spa and a crisp green lawn and lovely deck and patio areas. Step down further to find the detached guest home, which was recognized with a Decade Honor Award by the Los Angeles Chapter of the AIA in 2006, and, in fact, was a frequent haunt of Frank Gehry who inspired its cubist design. The guest house has a bedroom and bathroom, living area, a newly updated kitchen and is surrounded by lush landscaping that maximizes its creekside setting, creating a truly serene oasis.