The Modern Barn

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The Modern Barn

The Brief

The brief for our updated Tin Barn showroom was to create a classic contemporary kitchen centred around the pleasure of using it. A room that feels as comfortable for cooking as it does for gathering, and one that will continue to feel relevant for many years to come.

At its heart is the AGA Compact 110, complemented by a generously proportioned island designed as both a practical chef’s workspace and a relaxed, sociable place to gather. Storage is deliberately abundant and highly considered, but discreetly incorporated so that the overall room remains calm and uncluttered.

The result is a kitchen that feels generous without being ostentatious: soft, tactile and inviting, with the craftsmanship and functionality revealed gradually through use.

Elements

The cabinetry takes a clean, contemporary approach to traditional framed furniture. Square frames, finely proportioned Shaker doors and restrained detailing give the room a timeless quality, while subtle bead-and-butt panelling and the understated mantel introduce just enough texture and character.

This language is carried through to the tall elevation, incorporating a generous pantry alongside extensive storage for crockery and glassware and an integrated refrigerator. Reeded glass brings another layer of texture, becoming particularly atmospheric when the cabinetry is illuminated in the evening.

The oversized island is deliberately simpler and more architectural. Its framed leg construction celebrates the way the furniture is made, while exposed reverse dovetails turn a traditional cabinetmaking joint into a decorative feature on the drawer fronts. The solid oak drawer boxes are carefully scooped at the sides to conceal their runners, maintaining the integrity of traditional construction while allowing the drawers to operate with modern precision.

Integrated pull handles keep the working elevation clean, while the reverse is finished with pared-back, mitred Shaker doors. Behind this restrained exterior is considerable storage for cutlery, utensils, crockery and pans.

Around the AGA, storage has been designed specifically around the way a cook uses the space. Divided drawers organise utensils; pull-outs keep oils, oven gloves and tea towels immediately to hand; and dedicated vertical storage accommodates chopping boards and trays.

An Aston Espresso machine, colour-matched to the cabinetry, completes a room in which appliances, materials and furniture have been considered together rather than in isolation.

The result is warm, tactile and quietly contemporary, a kitchen rooted in traditional cabinetmaking, but designed very much around the way we want to live and cook today.