internalwallsremoved.Damp-proofingwasputinand
underfloorheatinglaidandthehousewasrewired.
Toimprovethelayout,thethreebedroomsanda
bathroomupstairswereconvertedintotwobedrooms
andtwobathrooms.Downstairs,thereweretwo
kitchensandtwolivingrooms,asthepreviousowners
livedwitha dependentrelative.TracyandRondecided
toconvertoneofthekitchensintoa utilityroom,while
thesecondlivingroombecamea diningroom.
Thecouplemovedthefrontdoortotheotherside
ofthehouseforeasieraccess,andincorporatedthe
originalentrancehallintooneofthekitchenstocreate
alargerspace.Thechimneybetweenthekitchenand
thediningroomwasopenedup,whichmeantputting
inRSJstosupporttheceiling,thenallthebeamshad
tobesandblasted.Inaddition,theseptictankwas
replacedanda newboreholecreatedtosupplywater
forthefamily.Thewallswereallinsulated,too,ensuring
thatthehousestayswarm,eveninthedepthsofwinter.
Thefamilylivedinthehouseforfiveyearsbefore
startingthesecondphase– convertingthemilking
stalls.‘Ouraimwastotiebothhousestogether,’says
Tracy.Theworkdifferedfromthefirstphaseasthe
propertyconsistedofjustfourexternalwalls.‘We
knocked out the milking stalls first,’ she says. Internal>LIVINGTHEDREAM
ForTracyandRon,renovatinga barn
meanttheycouldcreatea housethat
perfectlysuitsfamilylifeAnytipsforanyone
convertingabarn?
‘Lessrooms,morespace!Don’tbe
temptedtosacrificetheintegrityof
thebarnbycarvingit upintotoo
manyroomsasthespaceneedsto
beseentobeappreciated.’
Whatwasthehardest
partoftheproject?
‘Wehadtodiga borehole
30 metresdeeptofindwhere
thewatertablewas.Wealso
useddiviningrodstofindthe
exactspotwherewaterwas
located– I hada goandit was
incredibletofeelthemtwitch!’
Whathasworkedbest?
‘Leavingtheentranceopentothe
roofmeansthatthesenseofspace
is quitedramatic– it is 10metres
highfromfloortoroof.’KitchenTracyhas
injectedshotsofcolour
withblue-greytilesanda
paintedisland.Splashback
tiles, FiredEarth.Cabinets,
EastburnCountryFurniture.
IslandpaintedinDe
Nimes,Farrow& Ball.
Range cooker, Aga54 COUNTRY HOMES & INTERIORS