Doors & Windows

Black Barn: Former Cotswolds Grain Store captured by Handover

Photography studio, Handover, share their captures of Black Barn – the 6,500 sq ft development situated north of the Cotswolds, completed in 2020 by multidisciplinary architecture, interior design and delivery studio Rigby & Rigby.

Developed as a holistic scheme which is utilitarian in design, a key consideration was referencing Black Barn’s former use as an agricultural grain store.

The residence comprises accommodation in the main house with a Dutch Barn running in parallel, framing an inner courtyard space. By carefully respecting the buildings original form, the property was punctuated symmetrically with largeformat windows to provide lots of natural light and ventilation. “Black Barn was a unique opportunity for us to work on such a large scale residential photography project.” Explains Daniel Tuck, co-founder of Handover. “Whilst capturing the traditional architectural elevations was key, we often work to capture the more abstract perspectives when documenting such a visually striking property. Having seen the concept develop from drawing to completion, we gained an in-depth understanding of how Rigby & Rigby wanted to showcase this home and how their talented design team fully deserve their esteemed worldwide reputation.”

A central staircase and fireplace run along the length of Black Barn, reflecting the scale and depth within the double-height void. This provides circulation onto the mezzanine seating area from where a glass walkway provides access to private bedrooms with en-suites. At the southernmost part of the upper storey, a library is located with far-reaching views across the countryside.

Externally the architecture was simplified by enhancing the detailing around the cladding with a contrast of materials used from black liner multi-width timber and sheet aluminium, both materials being honest to the building’s former aesthetic. The Nordic style interior design scheme was developed from its minimalist background to create the multifunctional and open plan living area for family living, entertaining, dining, breakfast whilst relaxation is found in the media room with pool table and bar overlooking the courtyard. The interior is comfortable with design classics from Flexform and Poltrona Frau and the new Rimedesio range for coffee tables. A custom ‘Skyfall’ rug designed by Rigby & Rigby in collaboration with Colbourns surrounds the fireplace and informal seating area.

One specific outstanding feature of Black Barn is the Dutch Barn which creates an inner shelter adjacent to the Japanese inspired courtyard space to the main house. The Dutch Barn features an annexe with a mezzanine bedroom, bathroom and kitchen/living facilities.

Also, Black Barn comes with a fully equipped gym, workshop garage - to house a classic bike and car, a covered BBQ area for the summer months and an adjacent kitchen garden for vegetables and herbs with an orchard to the rear nestled into a wild meadow.

Eurocell has always led the way in patio door design. In fact, we’ve long been the customer’s choice when it comes to security, strength and performance that never compromises on design. So what’s new? Introducing Syncro, a brand new in-line system that opens up even more possibilities in terms of design, energy efficiency and sustainability.

Not just our strongest and most secure atio door system yet, Syncro also provides a new level of sustainability, plus improved design and performance that meet the demands of installers and homeowners alike thanks to several market leading features.

These include main frames made using at least 40% post-consumer recycled PVC-U; better thermal efficiency, with triple glazed U-values as low as 1.0; a 3.5m maximum width, one of the largest PVC-U patio door systems on the market; and a unique soft close system, which, along with a choice of standard or heavy duty rollers allowing sash weights of up to 140kg, makes for a much smoother glide and closure action with no ‘bounce back’ if the door is accidently slammed.

What’s more, is the option of a through-colour grey substrate – a first for Eurocell in a patio door. The grey substrate is extruded in PVC-U with special heat reflecting pigment to help reduce expansion on hot days. Not only does this the give designers a way to meet current design trends for the all grey look; but because patio doors are open so much of the time on sunny summer days, it also makes for much more pleasing visual appearance by removing any unsightly white extruded areas. Smooth or matt grey foil options can also be ordered along with traditional rosewood and golden oak from stock, plus 32 further colour options on longer lead times, extend the colour choices further. Like all Eurocell PVC-U products, the Syncro system comes with an exact colour-match guarantee. That means the colour is precisely matched to all Eurocell window, door and conservatory roof products, creating a coordinated, consistent look across any property.

Syncro is tested to BS6375 and PAS24 2016 standards and therefore meets the requirements of Document Q - the newest security guidelines for patio doors. And for additional peace of mind, Syncro has been through 50,000 cycles of open and close tests to prove robustness. Following customer feedback and as part of Eurocell’s continual improvement programme we have also introduced a new Aluminium Interlock to be used on all none PAS24 Syncro patio doors to help improve the fabrication and installation process.

Ian Kernaghan, Head of Product Design and Development for Eurocell commented, “Syncro has been designed to meet the changing needs of the patio door market and we believe it does that job beautifully. It offers customers genuinely attractive options like triple glazing, a soft close feature and white or grey substrate options, in addition to using recycled PVC-U content and achieving new levels of thermal and acoustic insulation efficiency.

Benefits at a glance:

• More sustainable with frame composition made up of at least 40% PCW (post-consumer waste) • Better thermal efficiency with U-values as low as 1.3 for double glazed units and 1.0 for triple glazed • Maximum width of 3.5m (2 pane) • Triple as well as double glazing compatible for even better insulation. • Grey substrate for total coordination with modern designs • Soft close option

For more information on Syncro visit: the Eurocell’s Syncro website

P C Henderson’s Sienna System Specified for a Stunning Self Build in County Wicklow

P C Henderson’s Sienna sliding door system has recently been specified for a stunning self-build project in the beautiful countryside of Aughrim, Co. Wicklow.

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ooking to build their dream family home, Fáinche and Donnchadh Murphy were delighted when they came across the perfect site situated in the Co. Wicklow countryside surrounded by stunning mountain views.

Planning the design of the 3 bed bungalow themselves, the couple’s main goal was to create a large open plan living area for the family to enjoy. To ensure flexibility of living, the couple opted for double glazed sliding doors to separate the living area from the bedroom block – vaulted ceilings were also included in the design to enhance the space even further. Fáinche Murphy commented, “Our aim was to maximise floor space in the living area whilst having the flexibility to create open spaces during the day and then close the doors off on an evening to enjoy a cosier environment. Sliding doors seemed the perfect solution especially with the added benefit of saving floor space in comparison to a swing door”.

P C Henderson’s Sienna sliding door system was identified as the best solution for the project. Designed with a stainless steel bar track and exposed top mounted hangers, Sienna offers an elegant and stylish system.

“We required a sliding door system which followed the same barn-style décor scheme we had used throughout the rest of the property - when we mentioned this to our builder, he was quick to mention P C Henderson. The Sienna system perfectly complements the other stainless steel features in our home and the doors glide open and closed with very little effort. We’re delighted with the flexibility that the system has brought to our home”, continued Fáinche.

P C Henderson’s Sienna sliding door system caters for wooden and glass doors weighing up to 120kg. Available in a range of track lengths, the system caters for both single and biparting door applications.

For more information visit www.pchenderson.com

Creating a resplendent continuous flow from the property straight to the ocean, the 100% natural stone’s unique blend of feldspar crystals glisten in the sunshine and Lundhs Blue’s enticing glow is brought to life through the reflections of the outdoor swimming pool, resulting in a serene oasis that exudes calm and sophisticated contemporary style.

With a polished high gloss finish specified for inside the pool and a silk matte finish around the outside to create a less slippery surface, this visually complex material is the perfect choice to create a truly arresting outdoor feature. Set against the natural tone of the wood decking, the captivating natural stone beautifully complements the outdoor setting, delivering on aesthetics as well as performance.

A naturally durable and strong material, Lundhs Blue is suitable for wet areas thanks to its extreme low absorption properties and is not affected by pool chemicals. With different finishes available, the stone is ideal for both inside and outside swimming pool applications.

Made from Larvikite, Lundhs Blue is a truly one-of-akind real stone. Crafted by nature 300 million years ago and quarried on the southern coast of Norway in a town called Larvik, there is no other place in the world where you can find the exact same type of natural stone.

The largest producer of natural stone in Northern Europe, Lundhs extracts rough blocks of high-quality stones from its own quarries in Norway and exports the materials to stone factories around the world. With a portfolio of seven natural stone types, Lundhs works with a select network of distributors around the globe, with each product traceable from quarry to end product.

Offering unrivalled expertise and advice regarding the use and sourcing of the stone, Lundhs prides itself on exceptional attention to detail. Each and every material is carefully extracted and sorted into selected colour and quality levels, suited to different types of use, ensuring sourcing of the right quality through its distribution network.

Providing a first-class service to the A&D community, the Lundhs project team is always on hand to assist with samples, technical information and obtaining quotes for projects.

www.lundhsrealstone.com/uk