The 7 golden rules of designing kitchens for barn conversions
There are certain challenges that get thrown up when designing a kitchen for a barn conversion that owners of new homes, with their crisp angles and standard measurements, won’t have to address.
One of the main attractions of barn conversions is their unique character, much of which comes from their gnarly beams, rustic uneven floors and soaring ceilings. However, it is also these charming features that can make designing a functional kitchen, suitable for modern life, so tricky.
If you are lucky enough to be starting out on a barn conversion project, you have probably already realised that you are going to have to think outside of the box if you are going to successfully transform a building previously not intended for human habitation into a comfortable, stylish home. To help you along the way, we asked the experts for their top pieces of advice when it comes to designing a kitchen within this kind of space that not only looks beautiful but which also ticks all the boxes when it comes to practicality.
1. Decide between a rustic finish or a contrasting look
There are two main schools of thought when it comes to designing the interiors of barn conversions. One is to sink into the rustic, traditional nature of the building and aim to create a scheme in keeping with this, while the other is to create something that sits in complete contrast.
“There are generally two successful directions you can take when designing a kitchen for a barn conversion,” picks up Emily Newmarch, design consultant at Kitchens by Holloways. “One is to lean into the character of the building with a more traditional, farmhouse-style scheme – Shaker cabinetry, natural stone or limestone flooring, timber worktops and layered textures.
“The other approach, which I often prefer, is to create contrast by introducing a more contemporary kitchen with clean lines and handleless cabinetry,” continues Emily. “Setting modern, minimal joinery against historic architecture can be very striking and helps ensure the kitchen feels intentional. The key is to make a clear design decision rather than sitting somewhere uncertain between the two.”
“Appliances can be modern or classic,” adds Helen Parker, creative director of deVOL. “In my opinion, there is something nice about adding a little industrial to the rustic look, taking it to modern or urban rustic. In the same breath, classic, slightly elaborate range cookers can work well alongside a simple layout.”
Emily is a design consultant at Kitchens by Holloways, a design and build company who create bespoke kitchens and thoughtfully planned interiors. Known for their holistic approach, the team considers not just the kitchen but the overall layout—whether it’s a single room, an open-plan space or an entire home—to deliver beautiful, functional designs that enhance everyday living.
Helen joined deVOL as a kitchen designer in 2004 and was promoted to the position of creative director in 2011 after showing an innate ability to forecast trends and give deVOL a style direction. Although Helen no longer designs kitchens directly, she oversees and helps with the training of all deVOL’s kitchen designers both at Cotes Mill and in London and is still very involved with all aspects of the kitchen design service.
2. Design with the scale of the building in mind
Barn conversions often feature soaring vaulted ceilings which, while undoubtedly impressive, mean extra consideration needs to go into planning a kitchen that doesn’t look out of place within such a voluminous space.
“High ceilings and open spaces are impressive, but they can make an open plan kitchen feel dwarfed if it is too modest in scale,” explains David Nossiter of David Nossiter Architects.
“Barn conversions tend to create large, open volumes with double-height ceilings and long sightlines,” says Emily Newmarch. “The kitchen needs to be designed to match that scale – a standard residential layout can easily feel undersized or visually lost. This might mean incorporating a larger island, taller cabinetry, stronger horizontal lines or more architectural features within the kitchen furniture itself so it holds its own within the space.”
David Nossiter, BA (Hons) Dip Arch RIBA CR FRSA, is an accomplished architect with specialist knowledge of barn conversions and residential architecture. Since qualifying as a registered architect, David has worked with Mole architects on a new studio building for the Department of Architecture at Cambridge University as well as several new build eco and passive houses. David set up his own practice, David Nossiter Architects in 2005. He received wide acclaim for the conversion of a dilapidated Listed barn into a contemporary dwelling, winning a Sunday Times British Homes Award.
3. Create clear zones within an open plan space
Designing a barn conversion layout that works for modern-day living can be tricky given that these buildings often lack the quantity of internal walls that you would expect in a house. For this reason, open plan kitchens that also encompass the dining room and even a living area are common.
“An open-plan kitchen should function like its own room – even in open-plan spaces, the kitchen should feel like its own zone,” advises David Nossiter. “Flooring or ceiling height changes can be used to create zones, or you might like to match similar finishes to unify spaces.
“Tall cabinets can be used to screen circulation or sitting areas, while islands may be utilised to define connections between related spaces such as dining areas. Personally, I prefer to keep all the tall units together and separate from the under-counter units, as this allows for more expansive work surfaces and creates a neater appearance. Island units anchor the space, providing areas for food preparation, under-counter storage, seating and everyday focus areas to gather around. Islands also help define a kitchen without fully enclosing it.”
4. A less-is-more approach works best
If you have opted for a barn conversion you presumably love the original features and finishes that these types of buildings offer. It therefore makes sense to ensure that your new kitchen allows these to shine, rather than taking over completely.
“Whatever the style of architecture, the room will have lots of original, natural materials built into the fabric of the building, such as original stone or brick walls, maybe a big old stone fireplace or some exposed beams or a vaulted ceiling, – things that have been there for decades that feel historical in some way, things you don’t want to get rid of,” says Helen Parker. “These features should be the bones of the kitchen, lofty, warm with age and history, lending a feeling of being lived or worked in, from another age or era. There is something comforting about the rustic look; it feels authentic and simple, it feels natural, raw, and uncluttered.
“There shouldn’t be too much furniture and each piece should be substantial, but also a little sparse,” continues Helen when explaining how to design around these features. “Low base cupboards work well and maybe a few open shelves, hooks and open fronted storage. I would avoid wall cupboards and anything that feels too decorative, frilly, or unnecessary.”
5. Forget fitted cabinetry and opt for freestanding instead
Uneven walls and floors, double-height ceilings and old timber partitions can all make installing a standard, fitted kitchen tricky – freestanding kitchens tend to be far less restrictive.
“Unlike modern homes, barn walls are rarely straight or square – they’re often uneven, bowed or irregular,” explains Emily Newmarch. “It’s usually best not to rely on these walls for critical alignments or to try to tightly scribe lots of furniture to them. Instead, we tend to design cabinetry that stands slightly independently, using freestanding-style elements where appropriate. This respects the building fabric and avoids awkward visual compromises.”
It is also useful to remember that some of the most successful rustic and farmhouse kitchen ideas use items of furniture that were not necessarily originally designed as kitchen units. For example, large old refectory tables or work benches can make wonderful islands, dressers and consoles work well for storage as well as for open shelving.
6. Plan your lighting scheme early on – and be creative
Kitchens with vaulted ceilings require a more creative approach when it comes to lighting. While many kitchen lighting ideas are made up of a selection of recessed downlighters for general background lighting, in the case of vaulted ceilings with exposed frames, it will be necessary to consider some alternatives. Stand-out pendants strung from the exposed beams make particularly interesting features, as do adjustable spotlights which can be used to highlight any areas you love.
“In many barn conversions you can’t easily chase cables into stone walls or drill through historic beams, and ceiling heights can make general lighting feel distant from work surfaces,” explains Emily Newmarch. “It’s important to design task lighting from the outset, looking into integrated cabinet lighting, well-positioned pendants over islands and discreet LEDs within joinery, rather than trying to retrofit it later. Good layered lighting is what ultimately makes these dramatic spaces feel usable and welcoming day-to-day.”
“Layered lighting is essential,” agrees David Nossiter. “Use ambient lighting for overall background illumination coupled with accent lighting to highlight features such as timber trusses, stonework or other architectural features or agricultural archaeology. Add to this task lighting to illuminate work surfaces and under cabinets. You may also opt for in-cupboard lighting, or feature display lighting within cabinets to showcase artefacts.
“Reflective and glossy surfaces can be used to bounce lighting into darker corners,” adds David. “It is particularly important in tall spaces to allow the lighting to provide an intimate, inviting environment, taking care that any feature lighting does not distract the eye.”
7. Build in good ventilation and consider services early on
Kitchen ventilation is always an important consideration to keep this space fresh and steam-free, but in open-plan, vaulted spaces it becomes more important than ever if you don’t want cooking odours seeping into every area within your home.
“A drawback of open-plan and tall spaces is that cooking smells drift far and wide, so invest in a powerful extractor that is vented externally for rapid ventilation,” advises David Nossiter. “Cross ventilation from windows and glazing located on opposite elevations helps to keep air fresh too – plus the dual aspect creates quality spaces.”
David goes on to point out the importance of getting wiring and pipework for all these essential services into place from the outset. “Most barns do not have adequate building services. You will probably be installing afresh and you should ensure that the utilities serving your kitchen are located in the correct place, particularly with islands and with extract ventilation,” he says.
CIARRA CBCS6102 Cooker Hood
This energy-efficient cooker hood comes in two widths – 60cm and 90cm – and has three different power levels. It offers a strong airflow of 650m³/h and can be used in re-circulation mode if ducting is an issue.
BOSCH Series 2 DWK65DK60B Chimney Cooker Hood
If you are aiming for a modern kitchen within your conversion this sleek black extractor hood is just the ticket. It has a top extraction rate of 550m³/h and is quiet to run too making it ideal for open-plan layouts.
Neff N50 D64BHM1N0B Chimney Cooker Hood
Quiet to run and easy to operate, this modern-looking cooker hood offers a maximum extraction rate of 605m³/h and built-in LED lighting too. It is also suitable for both ducted extraction and recirculation.
FAQs
Can you install base units onto an uneven flagstone floor?
If your barn conversion has beautiful old flagstones in place that you are keen on keeping, they are unlikely to be completely level which can make fitting a kitchen island and any base units rather tricky. That said, it isn’t impossible.
You’ll need to begin by finding the highest point of the floor along the wall or area where your kitchen units are being installed. You will then need to begin by fitting the base unit that will fit over this highest point. While cabinets with adjustable legs will make it easier to get level, both side to side as well as front to back, in reality you will probably need to use shims to get a totally stable and even finish.
Toe kicks at the base of units will cover any filler or visible gaps too. Of course, if you are having your kitchen custom made, your designer will be able to account for all of this within your bespoke design.
Not all barns will present the same challenges. In the case of Dutch barn conversions, for example, one of the biggest hurdles can be getting natural light into the centre of the building due to the curved nature of the roof.