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Location: Cheshire, United Kingdom

Interior Designer: Design by UBER

Photography: Karl Hopkins

A converted Grade II listed stable block was transformed with a glass kitchen extension taking in spectacular views. A full layout reconfiguration based around a steel inner framework allowed the outer structure ‘bones of the house’ to fully showcase the historic charm of the original oak beams and period elements.

It was the vision of Design by UBER’s Managing Director, who saw the potential to take this modest ex-stable barn with a previously dated interior and release the period potential to the maximum whilst bringing it right up to date by completely rearranging the orientation (creating a glass ‘box’ kitchen). The upper floors needed to accommodate a family in a characterful but more modern living environment.

One of the designer’s favourite aspects of the project is the views from the new kitchen, preparing a master chef’s meal with the Officine Gullo oven as your guests sip cocktails on the curved marble ‘chef’s table-style’ bar, feels very special at sunset. It re-orientates the house to allow the kitchen to be a focus room and fully incorporate the tremendous elevated landscape position to fully appreciate the views across the treetops and snaking River Dane.

The modest proportions of the house meant that the upper floors were redesigned completely creating a canvas for a whole new double-height layout into the original loft apex – and allowing some split-level areas where a guest bathroom is achieved on a mezzanine in the eves. It meant sacrificing a fifth original bedroom but gained much better proportions of space for the 4 remaining better-sized bedrooms and bathrooms including a vaulted master bedroom and ensuite with steam room.

This clever use of modern building techniques to suspend the structure within the existing frame managed to preserve a lot more of the original 400-year-old features and character. It allowed modern technology to be easily integrated (and truer walls to work with), whilst leaving fabulous original features like King Truss oak beams to shine as the show-stopper focal elements.