The Ultimate Barn House Architectural Design Inspiration – Scandi, NZ, Modular & More
Image: Scrubby Bay House
Barnhouse
Dreaming.
Barnhouse Homes Built for Modern Living
With their gable roofs and minimalist materials, barn-style homes are a popular choice for many for their aesthetic appeal and functional attributes. Read on to get inspired by the ultimate Barn House inspo, from dream scandi homes and NZ farm houses, to Arkular modular barn houses & more.
New Zealand – Modern Barn Form
The Modern Barn Form by @redarchitecture_ is a striking example of contemporary residential design, located in Waikato, New Zealand.
The design houses a private residence and garage within two crisp barn-like forms clad in vertical run steel and recycled bricks taken from the devastation caused by the Christchurch earthquakes.
Characterised by its clean lines and minimalist approach, the home is typical of modern design while still paying homage to the rustic charm of traditional barns.
View full design details of this project here.
New Zealand – Scrubby Bay House by Patterson Associates
A robust farmhouse set as the centrepiece of a remote, symmetrical and thundering surf beach.
Situated on New Zealand’s iconic coastal sheep and cattle stations as a base camp for farm experiences, the building shuts down with storm shutters when unoccupied and when opened the design is set seaward to capture the marvellous scenery.
“A vernacular form belies its massive scale, the apex height is at 5.5 metres and its knee at 3.4 metres in a full macrocarpa timber interior. Traditional detailing is juxtaposed against black steel fittings. At the centre of the house is a stone fireplace, constructed from rock quarried from the station.”
– Patterson Associates
To view the full design click here.
Finland – Project-Ö
A minimalist off-grid coastal cabin in the Finnish Archipelago. Project-Ö is totally self-sufficient, using solar power for energy and filtered sea water for drinking.
The buildings pays tribute to the traditional Finnish archipelago aesthetics, including a cabled roof, long eaves, extended gutters and vertical cladding.
The vision was to have all things necessary with as little space as possible. All individual spaces have been designed to be as compact as they can without compromising the functionality and comfort.
The interior’s minimalist aesthetic is achieved through the use of wooden boards and black feature for contemporary comfort.
View design here.
Denmark – The Nordic Barnhouse
Clad in a facade of Canadian cedar and black steel, the materials are otherwise mostly Nordic – calm and minimal with a focus on warmth and textural interest.
The home’s volumes are elongated and slender, linked together by similar materials. Solar panels extend fully in both width and length on each track, which preserves the overall impression and creates an almost invisible effect.
“The main focus throughout the design is the actual looking out into the woods. No matter where you are, it’s always in view,” says Bruno Jakobsen, architect. Natural materials were chosen so that the home blends with the natural surroundings, with the timber fading to a dull grey over time.
View project details here.
4 Arkular Barn House Modular Home Designs
The Agricultural Lakehouse
The Scandi Barn-inspired Agricultural Lakehouse captures the typical agrarian vernacular of the Australian farm shed through its gable style roof and use of hardy Colorbond cladding.
A modular home inspired by its wild surroundings, Arkular’s Agricultural Lakehouse uses sustainable and robust materials that are aesthetically pleasing, bushfire compliant and low maintenance, making them the ideal choice for the rural coastal environment.
For its sustainability, durability and texture, the modular home is clad in Colorbond Steel and built from sustainably sourced Australian FSC-certified timbers. As any great piece of Australian architecture should, The Agricultural Lakehouse pays homage to its natural landscape, both now and for years to come.
View more about our Agricultural Lakehouse.
Mollongghip House
201 m2 – 4 Bedrooms + 2 Bathrooms
A rural retreat on a heritage hazelnut farm with a classic gable end form, the building feels at one with nature, enveloped by the surrounding trees.
The linear design has east to west orientation to assist in promoting cross ventilation throughout the home. FSC certified external timbers milled from sustainable forestry methods will be used externally.
View full Mollongghip House details here.
Howqua House
86 m2 – 2 Beds + 2 Baths
A rural retreat, this compact yet highly efficient H-shaped design provides the perfect family home base.
Internally vaulted cathedral ceilings emphasise and celebrate the gable roof’s 26 degree internal pitch.
The home consists of two forms joined by an entry knuckle that hug the north-facing deck, capturing the winter sun and creating a private sanctuary for the distillery. During summer, the house expands out, opening up so that occupants can enjoy indoor-outdoor living and surrounding views.
View Howqua House here.
Nicholls Rivulet
217 m2 – 3 Beds + 2.5 Baths
A passively-designed barn-style home that is ultra sustainable and super stylish.
A highly energy-efficient design, the home is equipped with 140 mm thick stud walls to hold high insulation levels, a heat recovery system in the laundry for significantly improved air quality and air tightness at Passivhaus standard (0.6ach @50Pa).
Unilux Isostar Aluminium clad UPVc frames with triple glazing have been selected for their high thermal efficiency, whilst a fireplace with heat transfer ensures efficient use of any heat generated.
The home currently has an 8 Start Energy Rating.
