Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jul 15, 2025

A former agricultural shed is transformed as a modern home with double height library

A former agricultural shed is transformed as a modern home with double height library

An old shed in Yorkshire was given a new lease of life as a modern country home with a striking double-height library at its core.
The property


Architecture studio Tonkin Liu has given an old agricultural shed in Yorkshire a new lease of life as a modern country home with a striking double-height library at its core.

The owners wanted to create a high quality, energy-efficient and low-cost building to serve as a house, library and gallery. They had spent several years looking for a quiet site to build their retirement home, before they finally stumbled on this large barn, which was being used as a container for tools and tractors. Surrounded by silver birch trees and wild garden, and sitting on the edge of a small village in North Yorkshire, the couple fell in love with the plot and brought on the architecture studio to help them completely transform it – on a tight budget.

            

The architects used traditional construction techniques and low-cost materials to meet the challenging budget. Through selective reuse and refined detailing, this impressive transformation is an inspiration to all; that you can achieve a lot, with very little.

The former shed is now a home with exquisite detailing throughout inside and out, and a showcase for a lifetime collection of books and art.

The renovation has won this project seven awards, including three RIBA awards.

                

Exterior


The property's form and materials help to evoke the character of the original structure. The steel frame and ground slab were reused and enlarged, retaining the original form of the shed.

            

Newly clad in varied widths of shot-blasted timber and galvanised steel fins, the rhythmic facade is a subtle nod to the surrounding silver birch trees.

            

            

A pathway between the trees aligns with a pair of tall, glazed openings that allow a view straight through the building. The windows also frame views of the rising and setting sun from within a long gallery.

                

Hallway


A long, double-height hallway leads towards the kitchen – with the kitchen island in the middle.

To the right of the hallway is a staircase that leads up to the bedrooms.

A bridge between the upstairs bedrooms draws the eyes up, accentuating the ceiling height of this great space.

            

Library


The house's internal layout features an open-plan of interconnected spaces with varied proportions. At the home's core is a double-height library – a showpiece for a lifetime’s collection of books – which offers uninterrupted garden views.

            

The placement of mirrors behind the shelves lining the walls helps bounce light around and make this space feel even larger and brighter.

The impressive library is flanked by a living room and the three bedrooms.


            

A bridge connects the staircase's landing with a mezzanine overlooking the library that provides access to the bedrooms at either end of the house.

            

            

Kitchen


The main hallway contains the kitchen at one end, with a utility room, storage room and staircase concealed behind a wall.

            

Handleless white kitchen cabinetry lend a very contemporary look.

            

Bedrooms


Bedrooms feature built-in storage that frames the bed, maximising floor space.

                

                

The colour scheme of subtle grey tones, concrete screed floor and white shaded timber seems to effortlessly complement the art collection in every space.

                

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
×