Barn fresh

In the country, a new build is treated with great interest, if not suspicion, by surrounding neighbours. To gain warm local approval, a house will need to sit low on the hill line and be appropriate to the landscape.

This new home, conceived by architect Michael Wyatt and interior decorated by Jewell Cassells, sits demurely within its surroundings.

"The house's familiar barn silhouette is in keeping with the setting, and its position doesn't compromise views from nearby properties," Cassells says. "However, the design is about economy of construction and ease of upkeep, as well as merging with the environment."

The layout comprises a living-dining-kitchen area on the ground floor, with a covered outdoor area contributing to the living spaces. There is also a garage and laundry on this level. Up the stairs, a walkway connects to a master bedroom with ensuite at one end and two bunkrooms at the other. One bunkroom sleeps six guests and the other sleeps five.

"As the owner, who lives in Australia, often brings friends and their families over here ample sleeping accommodation was another prerequisite of the design," Cassells says.

Light-filled and expansive, the interior is a mix of rustic and modern influences. Contrasting with a classic barn exterior, the upstairs concrete walkway and fireplace surround provide a strong, semi-industrial feature.

"The use of strong elements and the simple material palette, including the concrete, enable this connection between contemporary and rugged" says Cassells.

The concrete floors offer a good example of this, and the corrugated iron cladding, also chosen in part for economy, would be equally at home on a farmhouse or a warehouse.

"While barns and industrial warehouses might be cold and uncomfortable places, this house is the antithesis of that," says Cassells. "The wall-to-wall concrete floors, for example, are underheated throughout."

If a welcoming ambience is important for a domestic residence, then it is even more essential for a place you travel to specifically for peace and relaxation. To this end, Cassells has combined large, comfortable furniture pieces with the owners' existing furniture and an array of high-end artworks.

"Modern coffee tables sit alongside rustic, second-hand pieces, creating a comfortable, eclectic feel often associated with farmhouse living," she says. "Together with comfort comes ease of upkeep. Surfaces like corrugated iron and concrete are easy to clean, and the chairs are even covered in slips so they are easy to remove and wash."

The house is positioned so bifold doors open out to the warmest of the day's sunshine, while less sunny facades are blanketed in corrugated iron. The house also has double glazing on all windows and doors.

"Essentially, the home has to be set up for summer and winter," says the designer. "An internal garage means aprés-ski visitors can kick off their boots and walk straight from car to fireplace. Broad doorways and a covered outdoor space cater to summer weather, making it a home for all seasons."

Story by: Charles Moxham

Photography by: Jamie Cobeldick