My Barn Conversion … musings in small-house, off-grid, architecture, design with smatterings of art, history and literature

  • Wabi-sabi and my mossy step

    I was just about to begin stripping the moss from the shaded face of the garden steps when I was reminded of the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi. Wabi-sabi, is a Japanese aesthetic concept that beauty can be found in impermanence, transience, and imperfection. So embracing the concept, I saved myself a job, spared the moss…

  • Building Progress ~ July 2012

    Update on building progress during July 2012…

  • Building reclaimed wood shelving

    The recently painted utility room has always been bereft of shelves. All the paint tins, barrels of tile cleaner and bottles of white spirit had no proper home and so gathered in those little used corners of the barn instead. Something had to change. Propelled by the freshly painted utility room and the poor weather…

  • Barns Gallery on Remodelista

    There is a lovely gallery of barn related inspirational photographs available on Remodelista.

  • Building Regulations

    In general terms, building regulations approval is required for building work in the UK…

  • Barns – the Long House

    Situated on the North Norfolk coast, this is a building to admire…

  • Painting colour scheme

    I thought that it would be worthwhile to record the brands and shades of paint we’ve used throughtout the barn, if for no other reason than to remind me when I come to repaint. This is our complete palette for now. I like to keep things minimal, simple and fresh when it comes to the…

  • Barns – the Balancing Barn

    A stunning piece of architecture, although not entirely to my taste…

  • Building Progress in June 2012

    Update on building progress during June 2012…

  • Art – design – form – function #FrankLloydWright

    I was rather taken with this Frank Lloyd Wright observation…

  • What is SAP?

    What is SAP and what are SAP calculations?

  • Painting…

    I’ve been doing a lot of painting recently…