Step inside this converted barn, with statement lighting, bold artwork and strong colour

The owner of this 19th-century converted barn near Ripon, Yorkshire, had moved house eight times before finally settling down.

interior of dining area with dining table and chairs
(Image credit: Future PLC/Words Elizabeth Hutton with Arab)
By Katie Garrett
last updated

As an interior designer, the owner found decorating her own home relatively easy. 'I already had a lot of art and furniture so I was designing around that,' she says. 'While I did have budget constraints, I worked in the same way I would with a client. I created moodboards and drew up room plans but, as I did not want things to be perfect, I was easier to please than most of my clients.'

When she first moved in, there was a bit of an issue with the layout. 'There was always going to be one room that people would need to walk through so I decided to make this an open-plan kitchen, dining and sitting room. Structurally, we did not knock down many walls but we did convert the garage into a suite of guest rooms, complete with its own boiler. This means we can shut that wing off when no one is staying.'

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Exterior

exterior of house with white french patio door and grass lawn

(Image credit: TBC)

Seating area

seating area with white wall and pictures and wooden floor with arm chair and fireplace

(Image credit: TBC)

The owner's paintings, bought years before the family moved in, dictated the colour scheme for the open-plan sitting-kitchen-dining room.

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living area with white wall and grey sofa with cushions and arm chair

(Image credit: TBC)

A mix of cushions in a variety of fabrics and textures creates an air of comfort.

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Buy now: Ideal Home Camden Corner Sofa, £1,399, Very

Dining area

dining area with white walls and wooden dining table with blue chairs and wooden kitchen counter

(Image credit: TBC)

The owner bought a set of hardwood dining chairs for this space and sprayed the frames a pale hue, to match the walls. She used a bright striped fabric that picks up on the blue and green of the paintings in the seating area.

An oversized pendant highlights the original beams.

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Kitchen

kitchen area with blue kitchen counter with wooden countertop and kitchen shelves and painting

(Image credit: TBC)

The kitchen island incorporates plenty of storage, freeing up the walls for the owner to display artwork and accessories.

Read more: Step inside this Grade II-listed converted watermill

Entrance hall

hallway with blue wall and tiles floor and rug

(Image credit: TBC)

The owner is proud of her brave choice of strong blue for this space, which creates an ideal backdrop to display favourite pieces.

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Main bedroom

bedroom with white wall and picture farme and bedding with cushions and throw and rug

(Image credit: TBC)

Despite opting for a more neutral palette in the bedroom, the owner has curated a diverse collection of artwork so that the space retains a strong personality.

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Bathroom

bathroom with white wall with yellow shades and bathtub with mirrored tiles

(Image credit: TBC)

Having played it safe with the scheme in her bedroom, the owner chose a daring wallpaper for the bathroom, uniting the two rooms with shades of yellow.

The mirrored tiles around the bathtub were inspired by a client project the owner had carried out ten years earlier.

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Buy now: Balfour Wallpaper, £65 a metre, Christopher Farr Cloth

Son's bedroom

childrens bedroom with white wall with picture frame and bedding with cushions and throw

(Image credit: TBC)

With the colours of the British and American flags as inspiration, this room has a relaxed charm.

Son's study

study room with book shelves and white study table and caps

(Image credit: TBC)

The owner took advantage of the narrow anteroom adjoining her son’s bedroom to create his own den. 'I like to think about future needs when designing rooms for children.'

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Buy now: Book Shelf Wallpaper, £13 a roll, Graham & Brown

Daughter's bedroom

bedroom wall with light brown shades and bedding with multicolour cushions and throw and picture frames

(Image credit: TBC)

'My daughter came to the office and worked on her bedroom as a designer. What she did is not what I would have done, but I am not going to press my ideas on her just because of my profession.'

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Read more: Teenage girl bedroom ideas

Guest bedroom

guest room with white walls and white window with curtains and bedding with cushions and throw

(Image credit: TBC)

The owner’s love of texture makes this a perfectly crafted and welcoming space.

Katie Garrett
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