West Bridgford Joinery handmade all the internal joinery for a beautiful barn in the historic village of Colston Bassett within the Vale of Belvoir in Nottinghamshire. It was designed by architecture and design practice Manea Kella, which transformed it from a run-down garage into a stunning space to be used as additional accommodation for the client. The design for Manea Kella’s ‘Rural Retreats’ project was inspired by Japanese Ryokans, traditional Japanese country inns.

The team used naturally finished Douglas fir wood for the internal spaces, which was chosen to match the roof’s new timber frame that can be seen in the exposed rafters. The treated wood used throughout the space perfectly contrasts with the untreated rafters and sarking boards.

Simple storage was needed to house the client’s impressive book collection. West Bridgford Joinery hand made all the fitted shelving, as well as the kitchen cupboards, wardrobes and various storage cabinets and skirting boards. Manea Kella’s symmetrical and minimalist design is perfectly complemented by the simplicity of repeated timber.

As featured in Architects’ Journal.

Photography: FRENCH+TYE