This former dairy building in South Oxfordshire is full of character, with flint walls, soaring ceilings and large concertina windows opening the space to the outside. The layout grew from the client's own ideas about how he wanted to cook, entertain and live in the space, alongside a wonderfully individual collection of furniture, artwork and objects which made this a particularly interesting project to work on.
It is a vast open plan space, with a long dining table sitting at its centre, the kitchen to one side and the living area to the other. The main kitchen forms part of this open space and acts almost as a show kitchen – somewhere to cook, entertain and gather.
The cabinetry is sleek and simple, made in warm walnut with a chamfered handleless detail. One of the most individual elements is the splashback. The client chose a wallpaper with a personal connection to his childhood in Africa, protected behind clear glass to create a practical splashback with a very personal story behind it.
Behind the main kitchen, the hidden second kitchen provides space for washing up, pots and pans and all the less glamorous parts of cooking, allowing the main room to remain an uncluttered space for entertaining.
We also made a number of pieces throughout the barn, including oak internal doors, painted tulipwood doors and oak cabinetry for the utility area. A large linen cupboard has substantial oak sliding doors, while large sliding glass doors give a view into the wine cellar.
At the entrance, we made a bespoke oak frame for the large round doorway, which sits beautifully against the original stonework.
The Old Dairy is a very personal home, and the joinery was designed around the client's distinctive ideas and the way he wanted to use the space.
