The Shed..

Hello everyone! Just popping in to share this wonderful 'barn conversion' that was designed and built by Seattle based  'Shed'. The philosophy behind this multi-faceted company is truly holistic with a strong focus on balancing the pragmatic, sustainable, aesthetic, and emotional aspects of any given building or space. When they launched in 1988 their motto was 'We design things and we make them', and over the years they have worked across a wide range of disciplines and projects including industrial design, furniture, architecture, engineering and interior design. 

The brief for this particular project was to rework the barn into a unique living space, within the framework of the original building envelope. Having once worked on a 'church conversion' in my early days as a freelance interior designer in Sweden (80s) I know just how challenging (and exciting) this is. It requires an in-depth understanding of the structural building, it's soul, it's setting and of course the practical and emotional needs & wants of the Client.

In order to get a real and true feel for the place the 'Shed team 'often lived on-site for extended periods of time. This allowed them to get a good grasp of the flow of the landscape surrounding the building, the impact of the seasons and the natural light. These insights lead to a number of substantial refinements of the original plans which resulted in unexpected design opportunities that otherwise may have been missed.

A strong emphasis was also placed on re-using and salvaging materials from the original structure. Cedar siding was used for wall cladding, wooden beams re-worked to form flooring, benches & counter tops, and old piping fixtures recycled and refitted. In fact, the whole approach to the project aimed to ensure the original features of the barn were retained and that materials used allowed the true & real age to be visible.

Don't you just love that they have added the windows in context of where you will be sitting / soaking? I think the bathroom window is lovely and how it has been configured to allow you to look at the view without exposing yourself to public viewing.

 Source

xx Charlotta