Industrial Chic Kitchen in a Converted Scottish Barn
A muted palette, sleek cabinetry and cool industrial touches create an elegant family kitchen
When Alison Howard was asked to design the kitchen for this converted barn in Scotland, the owner had already done her homework — mostly on Houzz. “She had a wish list,” Howard says. The client’s list included an Everhot range, a French-style fridge-freezer, a large island that could seat a family of four around it, pantry space with a breakfast station, a Quooker hot water dispenser, oak countertops and a concrete-style countertop for the island.
Thanks to Howard’s expertise, all these elements now sit together in a beautiful, large, light-flooded kitchen, with the whole look pulled together by simple, elegant cabinets, soft color tones and inspired touches of industrial style.
Thanks to Howard’s expertise, all these elements now sit together in a beautiful, large, light-flooded kitchen, with the whole look pulled together by simple, elegant cabinets, soft color tones and inspired touches of industrial style.
BEFORE: The barn had to be repaired and converted from a home for cattle into a house for humans. The roof of the barn was in poor condition and was rebuilt entirely. “You could see through to the sky,” Howard says.
When Howard first saw the property, it was about midway through the conversion work. “It had a new roof on by then and the original stone wall had been taken down, all the stones cleaned up and the whole thing rebuilt,” she says.
The kitchen sits on one side of the house, with a generous passageway alongside it that leads to the stairs.
The kitchen sits on one side of the house, with a generous passageway alongside it that leads to the stairs.
The repaired roof and its rafters are a key feature in the light, bright kitchen. “The roof has remote controlled skylights set into it,” says Howard. “You wouldn’t be able to reach up there otherwise.”
A row of sleek pendant lights highlights the island and adds an industrial edge.
A row of sleek pendant lights highlights the island and adds an industrial edge.
The original stone wall was Howard’s inspiration for the paint colors in the kitchen. “There was a depth of color coming through from the wall,” she says. “We didn’t want to use too many different shades, so we took inspiration from the stone wall and worked from there.”
The kitchen cabinets were all custom made for the space. “You could call it a contemporary Shaker style,” says Howard of the clean design. Sleek, stainless steel handles finish off the simple look.
The walls are painted in a soft off-white to complement the cabinets’ and the stone wall’s muted tones.
The walls are painted in a soft off-white to complement the cabinets’ and the stone wall’s muted tones.
Plenty of seating space around an island was one of the owners’ main requirements. “These stools were chosen because they’re the ideal height,” Howard says. “A lot of bar stools are too high and you struggle to get your knees comfortably under the overhang. These fit perfectly.”
The slim metal legs make the stools unobtrusive, while their low backs don’t sit higher than the island countertop, so the sightlines through the space are uninterrupted. “We didn’t want the stools to take over,” says Howard. “The kitchen itself had to be the main thing and these blend in perfectly.”
Bernhard bar stools: Ikea
The slim metal legs make the stools unobtrusive, while their low backs don’t sit higher than the island countertop, so the sightlines through the space are uninterrupted. “We didn’t want the stools to take over,” says Howard. “The kitchen itself had to be the main thing and these blend in perfectly.”
Bernhard bar stools: Ikea
A low run of cabinets and the range are placed against the restored stone wall.
Industrial-style conduits for the wiring are fixed to the wall and create a utilitarian feel. “These came about from a conversation between us, the electrician and the owners,” says Howard. “We couldn’t cut into the stone to chase the wires in, but this stone wall had to be used for some furniture, so we decided to put the range against it, and the easiest way to wire everything up was to use conduit piping.”
The countertop is made of solid oak and complements the natural qualities of the stonework.
Industrial-style conduits for the wiring are fixed to the wall and create a utilitarian feel. “These came about from a conversation between us, the electrician and the owners,” says Howard. “We couldn’t cut into the stone to chase the wires in, but this stone wall had to be used for some furniture, so we decided to put the range against it, and the easiest way to wire everything up was to use conduit piping.”
The countertop is made of solid oak and complements the natural qualities of the stonework.
The wall lights are supplemented by a free-standing table lamp, which sits on the countertop and adds a cozy touch. “We worked out exactly where the wall lights should go to provide good illumination for the [countertops] and range,” says Howard. “We left one light off the line at the end so there was space to put a table lamp.”
Range: Everhot
Range: Everhot
Tall pantry cabinets flank the fridge-freezer, with the one to the left primarily used for general storage.
Fridge-freezer: Samsung
Fridge-freezer: Samsung
The pantry cupboard to the right of the fridge-freezer works as a breakfast station, complete with coffee maker, kettle and toaster. “If the boys want to come in and get some cereal or a drink, they don’t have to go into the main part of the kitchen or get under the chef’s feet,” says Howard. The interiors of all the cabinets are oak.
The sink and hot-water tap sit neatly within the island. The quartz worktop has a concrete-effect finish, introducing another chic industrial touch to the space.
Hot water dispenser: Quooker
Hot water dispenser: Quooker
A plan of the open living space shows the kitchen arranged at one end.
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Who lives here: A professional couple and their two teenage sons
Location: The east coast of Scotland
Size: The kitchen is in a space that’s 40 by 15½ feet (12.1 by 4.7 meters)
Designer: Alison Howard of Christopher Howard
The kitchen is part of a large, open-plan space, with a dining area and casual seating at the opposite end. Underfloor heating keeps the walls free of radiators, and limestone flooring runs throughout to create a seamless feel.