Dezeen Magazine

Sandstone-clad house in Wales designed by Hall + Bednarczyk to resemble local barns

Hall + Bednarczyk Architects paired rugged sandstone with contemporary details to create this rural house in Wales, which pays homage to vernacular barns (+ slideshow).

The Nook, Monmouthshire by Hall + Bednarczyk Architects

The Welsh studio, led by architects Martin Hall and Kelly Bednarczyk, designed the residence to replace a "drab" 1960s bungalow on a site in Monmouthshire, sitting on the Welsh side of the scenic Wye Valley.

Rather than referencing the region's houses, the architects chose to instead base the design on farm buildings – similar to another recently completed house in the Welsh countryside.

The Nook, Monmouthshire by Hall + Bednarczyk Architects

"The design adopts the simple, confident massing evident in the region's agricultural structures, where both traditional stone barns and the spare steel-framed modern structures now used by farmers tend to possess a visual clarity and generosity of scale absent from most rural dwellings," they explained.

The Nook, Monmouthshire by Hall + Bednarczyk Architects

Named The Nook, the two-storey building features walls of sandstone, which was sourced from a quarry three miles away.

The stone was hand dressed – meaning it was worked to create smooth surfaces – and the architects expect moss and lichen to grow over it in time.

The Nook, Monmouthshire by Hall + Bednarczyk Architects

The house's steel-framed structure is also visible on the facade, alongside areas of timber panelling. These are accompanied by a simple rectilinear chimney and a tiled roof.

The Nook, Monmouthshire by Hall + Bednarczyk Architects

"Regional materials are used to help create a building that is intended to have a comfortable affinity with its setting," said Hall and Bednarczyk. "The detailing explores a number of vernacular elements and construction techniques through a modern lens."

The Nook, Monmouthshire by Hall + Bednarczyk Architects

The secluded location made it possible to create large windows, allowing residents to bring plenty of natural light into the building, as well as to open rooms out to the landscape.

The Nook, Monmouthshire by Hall + Bednarczyk Architects

The ground floor features a fairly open layout – a kitchen and dining room is on one side, a living room is located at the far end, and a children's playroom is slotted in between.

Sliding glass doors lead out to terraces from both the dining space and the living area.

The Nook, Monmouthshire by Hall + Bednarczyk Architects

The use of the steel structure also made it possible to create a void above the dining area, turning it into a double-height space. Bookshelves and storage areas are built into the walls here, as is a small seating area described by the architects as a settle.

"A built-in settle and Welsh dresser make the kitchen and dining space flexible and accommodating," said the architects.

The Nook, Monmouthshire by Hall + Bednarczyk Architects

Upstairs, there are four bedrooms – a master suite, an en-suite bedroom and two additional rooms that share a bathroom.

The Nook, Monmouthshire by Hall + Bednarczyk Architects

Wooden flooring runs throughout the house. Most spaces feature white walls, but other shades have been introduced at key moments – the wall housing the chimney is painted dark grey and the seating nook is coloured purple.

The Nook, Monmouthshire by Hall + Bednarczyk Architects

The project also include the construction of a small outhouse, creating garden storage and sheltered car parking. This is located at the entrance to the site.

Photography is by Simon Maxwell.

The Nook, Monmouthshire by Hall + Bednarczyk Architects
Site plan – click for larger image
The Nook, Monmouthshire by Hall + Bednarczyk Architects
Ground floor plan – click for larger image
The Nook, Monmouthshire by Hall + Bednarczyk Architects
First floor plan – click for larger image
The Nook, Monmouthshire by Hall + Bednarczyk Architects
Section one
The Nook, Monmouthshire by Hall + Bednarczyk Architects
Section two
The Nook, Monmouthshire by Hall + Bednarczyk Architects
Section three