The challenge

When the clients approached us, they had a vision most people would struggle to see. Perched high in the hills overlooking the water sat a large American-style barn. Cold, open, and originally designed for storage, it was exactly the type of structure you’d expect to find tractors, machinery or hay bales inside. The clients wanted to transform it into a warm, high-end family home.

The plans were intentionally basic. There wasn’t a detailed roadmap showing every finish, detail and design solution. Much of the project would rely on experience, creativity and problem-solving throughout the build, all while balancing the vision with the available budget.

Our solution

This became one of the most collaborative and creative builds we’ve undertaken. Working closely with the clients over several months, we developed ideas, refined details, and continuously looked for ways to maximise the final result without losing sight of the budget.

Because the existing structure had large steel portal frames throughout the building, we couldn’t simply remove them. Instead of hiding them, we looked for ways to incorporate them into the design. One portal sat directly within a bathroom layout. Rather than boxing it out, we built around it and transformed it into a feature element within the shower, creating a large recessed niche that looked intentional from day one.

Throughout the home we focused on consistency between materials and details. Birch ply negative-detail ceilings were carried through into window jambs and feature elements. Timber screens connected spaces together. Natural timber floors, warm timber ceilings, full-height tiled bathrooms and carefully selected finishes all worked together to create a home that felt connected from room to room. Every detail had a purpose.

The result

What was once a cold steel agricultural structure is now a warm, welcoming four-bedroom family home overlooking the hills and ocean. The finished home feels calm, comfortable and full of character. Natural materials create warmth throughout the interior, while thoughtful detailing gives the project a personality that’s impossible to replicate in a standard build.

Most rewarding of all was seeing the clients achieve exactly what they had envisioned from the beginning. Their dream was to create a family home from a structure most people would never have considered livable. Today, that’s exactly what it is.