Designing a barn conversion
To create the right design, you need to decide how many rooms you want, and which rooms need orientating to the best outlook. As with all new build designs, you need to consider impact, amenity, utilities, access, services, ventilation, and then get it through building regulations (which we’ll look at below). The size, orientation and outlook will be the key factors in designing a barn into a modern living space. They are typically long rectangular buildings, which give us architectural designers a big job to do in making modern living spaces.
Through rooms are not always avoidable, but with high apex roofs, you can create wonderful open mezzanines and galleries. Insulation will typically be formed within the fabric of the building, leaving the existing structure as an external finish that is ideally complemented with openings like windows and doors being finished in similar styles such as wooden material finishes.
Generally, the space you have available is the size of the outer walls, with some deduction for the new insulated internals. Once the rooms are laid out access, hallways, toilets, en-suites and the all-important glazing can be worked out. Split levels can be a great feature, and sometimes you can make up in height what you may not have in floor area.
