Deco Parquet Natural Oak Herringbone & Alpine Plank in Stunning Cotswold Barn Conversion.
V4’s herringbone oak floors feature in this barn conversion located on a beautiful farmland setting on the gateway to the Cotswolds in the small village of Burford. The barn conversion was a two year labour of love project for owner Tim Pearce. Describing himself as part time farmer and part time builder, he designed and completed all of the work himself.
The original Cotswold Stone barn offered huge potential with an impressive 8m height from floor to full height roof pitch and a generous footprint which offered huge scope to create an impressive light, airy and contemporary open plan home which would combine authentic elements of the original barn with new modern and clean design concepts.
“I’ve worked on lots of projects, but this one was more personal as it was to become a long-term home for my partner and I. When I found the redundant barn, which was over 250 years old complete with original features and located on the edge of beautiful farmland, I could see the potential it had to be converted into a stunning home full of character but with a modern twist.”
A large open plan kitchen now sits at the heart of the ground floor with a central feature dining table. Modern in appearance and with newly plastered walls, this contrasts with the cosy living area which maintains the original Cotswold stone walls of the barn.
"Key to the design success is the central stairway that has been installed, which leads to a bridge between the two bedrooms allowing the full ceiling height of the barn to be on view from the ground floor."
"Upstairs are two spacious bedrooms. To keep with the natural feel of the barn Tim wanted wood floors throughout the upper level, creating a natural blend with the original wood beams, whilst also providing a clean modern backdrop to newer plastered finishes and minimalist design. I’d installed V4 Wood Flooring on past jobs I’d worked on, and impressed with the quality was happy to head straight to their latest collections to choose wood floors for this project. I loved the look of their new modern herringbone floors Deco Parquet. The size of the blocks meant they would deliver a cleaner, minimalist look which suited the interior style, whilst the herringbone block formation would add some texture and interest to the floors."
Tim ordered the floors from V4 approved retailer Oakwoods Flooring. He was able to browse the V4 collections on their website and receive a quick and easy quote online before going ahead and placing the order. The floors were prepared with a sand and concrete mix screed before the Deco Parquet blocks in Natural Oak were installed over underfloor heating. I was really impressed with the uniform dimensions and precision milling of each block which made installing them easy and there was hardly any wastage. It is more time consuming than plank installation but worth it for the high end look they deliver. To complete the look Tim wanted a similar finish plank wood floor for the stairs and connecting bridge.
After ordering samples from Oakwoods he chose Alpine Oak Rustic Brushed and Oiled wood floor planks, which blend beautifully with the herringbone blocks and create a natural flow between the bedroom spaces. The finished barn is now an absolutely stunning home. Keeping the high ceilings in view at the centre of the home enhances the natural light, creates a spacious feeling and gives hints of the original barn formation. Authentic old finishes remain in place, positioned perfectly against the more contemporary design touches added to complete the home.
Character pieces and new modern elements come together in the design. The couple kept their piano and leather Chesterfield sofa, which brings a ‘Gentleman’s Club’ vibe into that area, with more modern furnishings styled into the main living room.
“When it comes to my favourite things in these living spaces, I love the diagonal laying pattern on the floor, and the pendant lights. Also, the panelling behind the sofa disguises some very ugly radiators and instead of using mesh, we used a metallic sheer fabric which has worked really well.”
Featured Flooring
Upland Oak
Alpine Upland Oak planks are classically proportioned with narrower widths and longer lengths to suit any interior space. Milled from rustic grade oak, the surface is lightly brushed to remove the soft grain from the top layer of the wood, before the planks are finished with UV oils to enhance and protect the surface.
Natural
The rustic surface of our Natural Oak herringbone is simply smooth sanded, buffed and then sealed with clear oils. The resulting surface remains true to natural oak tones, with rustic appeal, and a rich lustre and subtle natural sheen.
