The Old Bakery: raised and remodelled

When the waterline rose, however, their cosy cottage got a little damper, and it became clear that a few adaptions were needed to keep the overenthusiastic brook overflow where it belonged… outside the house! Our clients had already envisioned quite a major remodel to meet the needs of their young family, and flood repairs turned out to be exactly the catalyst they needed to put their plans into action.

Having worked through the flood prevention options, with contingency plans for exceptional water level rises, it was decided that closing off a side door and raising the threshold of the other entrances, as well as raising the floor level through the entire ground floor, was going to be the best starting point. From there the Barr Build team continued to work with their clients, Henda Knobel (architectural design and building regulations), and Solid (structural and civil engineering services) to transform The Old Bakery from a crudely converted dwelling to a beautifully bright and open family home.

In terms of remodelling and space planning, the removal of a chimney breast allowed for a staircase reconfiguration, which in turn revolutionised the flow (people rather than water!) of the ground floor. In conjunction the old kitchen wall was removed (inserting the requisite steels) to form a long opened out L-shape, which would become the new open-plan kitchen/dining room.

Outside the kitchen door a small timber lean-to was removed, giving space to add a single-storey extension which would become the family entrance hall, boot room and utility; a place where scooters, wellies and other outdoor paraphernalia could be kept, ready for action! The extension would join the main house to the garage (through the inserting of another structural steel), which would be converted into a gym/leisure room, giving the family another sizeable and incredibly useful living space.

The extension bridges, materially as well as structurally, from the 18th-century coursed rubble cottage to the adjacent old red brick and lime mortar outbuilding. Formed from a coursed rubble plinth, with bespoke timber, glazed panels either side of a traditional back door, limestone floors and an aluminium roof lantern – it makes for the perfect visual and functional connection.

Barr Kitchens were introduced, as part of the project team, early in the planning phase. Our clients wanted their cabinetry to be tailormade for the space, and Barr Kitchens designer Sam Kerwin worked closely with them, and with the architecture of the original cottage, to create a kitchen and utility room which would truly belong.

Most decisions regarding the cabinetry design and finishes were governed by the age and composition of the property. An offset angle to the sink elevation and on the long cabinetry run demanded a simple and carefully considered cabinetry design. Low ceilings and smaller apertures meant that the colour palette needed to offer the perfect balance of lightness and depth. Our clients loved Paint & Paper Library’s classic Hornblende green, especially when paired with Little Greene’s Slaked Lime. Similarly, they embraced the simplicity of the Corston handles, where the living bronze finish offers a timeless quality. The original brief was to include a kitchen island – but after some thought it was decided that a three-sided breakfast bar would be a better use of space, ensuring positive flow, whilst still providing the requisite storage and a relaxed family eating area.

The cabinetry itself takes a slimline profile, giving the traditional in-frame Shaker style a more contemporary aesthetic. Following the asymmetric footprint of the original building, cabinetry is carefully scribed into the centuries-old walls and ceilings – giving it a “modern but been here forever” quality. Detailing like the inset chimney breast, spice cupboards and a cooker hood moulding add to the bespoke nature of the whole. Our clients were well informed with regards to their appliance choices, which included a Fisher & Paykel American-style fridge-freezer and a stainless steel Smeg range cooker, providing another fixed point around which Sam could work to achieve aesthetic and functional continuity. Similarly, worktops by Compac in Unique Arabescato, with matched upstand, flank a traditional butlers sink, all chosen for visual and functional alignment.

Our clients are delighted with the project outcomes and the transformative effect it has had of their family living. We thank them for allowing us to share their Barr Build and Barr Kitchens journey and look forward to continuing working with them on the final touches to their wonderful project.