BOX barn conversion — black vertical timber cladding, large panoramic window, garden slope with stacked logs, pool on the slope | OOOOX

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BOX barn renovation

At first glance, a barn; at second glance, a finished home. An open space spanning two floors up to the rafters, brick floors, wood. A black facade and white interior instead of hay and dust. And why do we call it BOX? It’s a Barn by OOOOX!

Black on the outside, white on the inside

The main concept is simple: black on the outside, white on the inside. The original structure remains exposed, including the slanted strut that unabashedly crosses the large window and serves as a reminder of what once stood here. Wood takes center stage both inside and out; the floor made of cut bricks in the style of attic rooms gives the space a slightly “barn-like” roughness, and the brick partition simply follows its grid.

The facade looks like a solid barn—planks with exposed battens, nothing too dramatic. The windows in the gable are hidden behind continuous strips, so they almost disappear from the side. The large windows on the ground floor utilize the original opening left by the doors; instead of double doors, they now feature solid wooden shutters in the same style as the facade. So from the outside, it’s “still a barn,” but inside, it’s clearly a house.

BOX barn conversion — view to the forest landscape, pool on the slope | OOOOX

BOX barn conversion — pool on the slope, exterior stairs detail | OOOOX

BOX barn conversion exterior — black timber facade with large window, white interior with staircase visible, sloped lawn with brick path | OOOOX

BOX black barn entrance door — black wooden door with black wall lamp above, dark vertical timber facade cladding | OOOOX

BOX black barn conversion — large panoramic window revealing white dining interior with structural diagonal brace, countryside landscape | OOOOX

BOX barn abstract architectural detail — view from below of black steel staircase meeting white wire mesh gallery railing, graphic black-and-white composition | OOOOX

Open space

The goal was to preserve an open space spanning two floors all the way up to the roof structure, so the barn would retain its volume. Along the sides, narrow mezzanine levels are connected by a wooden walkway, offering views both downward and into the roof construction above. The railing — part solid, part mesh — was designed with children and dogs in mind, while also playing with sightlines: the solid section in the middle tends to close off the space, while the mesh panels at the ends open it back up.

The layout follows the original roof structure, so the size of each room is largely predetermined — whether it's the sleeping lofts, the entrance, or the podium. The podium serves as a half-landing on the staircase and doubles as hidden storage, without disturbing the overall cleanliness of the interior.

BOX barn upper gallery — black Windsor armchair, double bed with grey linen bedding, white roof trusses, wire mesh railing, open dressing area | OOOOX

BOX barn conversion full interior overview — black steel staircase, living area with cowhide rug, reading podium, double-height vaulted ceiling | OOOOX

BOX barn wood stove detail — black cast iron stove, firewood in black rack, ram skull mounted on white painted brick wall | OOOOX

BOX barn living zone — wood stove with firewood, black staircase, wire mesh gallery railing, black designer lounge chair | OOOOX

BOX barn attic bedroom — double bed with white linen throw and grey linen pillows, black headboard panel, exposed white timber trusses, window overlooking forest | OOOOX

BOX barn detail — retro white porcelain toggle light switch with twisted fabric cable on white painted brick wall | OOOOX

BOX barn view from mezzanine gallery — black steel parapet, white roof trusses, dining table on ground floor below, suspended wire mesh railing | OOOOX

BOX barn reading platform — white bulldog on sheepskin rug, bookshelf with colourful books above, white timber barn structure in background | OOOOX

Kitchen without upper cabinets

The kitchen has two parts. The visible part works only with lower cabinets — no upper cabinets, nothing extra on the walls. A clean line, white render behind the worktop, and nothing more. The second part of the kitchen is hidden behind a partition — a shelving and rail system for food, dishes, and everything that needs to be within reach, but not necessarily on display.

BOX barn interior from dining area — bi-fold glass terrace doors, white retro fridge, upper gallery with ram drawing, wood stove in corner | OOOOX

BOX barn kitchen white painted brick pillar — hanging pots and pans on hooks, open shelves with kitchen items, cowhide rug in living area beyond | OOOOX

BOX barn kitchen zone — white kitchen units adjacent to white painted brick partition, ram skull wall decoration, stove visible in background | OOOOX

BOX barn kitchen detail — white lower cabinets with oak worktop, black built-in oven, two black articulated wall lamps, white brick column | OOOOX

BOX barn conversion white interior — dining table with white metal Tolix chairs, industrial pendant lights, large window with countryside view | OOOOX

Dining room

The centrepiece of the ground floor is the dining area with a large table. The table base is made from plumbing pipe, while the top continues the industrial character of the barn throughout. White metal chairs work both indoors and outdoors; in winter they get sheepskin covers and feel like an entirely different piece of furniture.

There is no conventional living room here. Instead, there is seating in front of the wood-burning stove, a reading nook on the podium, and a bookcase formed by the exposed structural beams themselves. Less sofa, more atmosphere.

BOX barn interior panorama — dining area, bi-fold terrace doors, kitchen corner, wood stove with firewood, cowhide rug, black lounge chairs | OOOOX

BOX white barn dining area — set table with black dishes, white Tolix chairs, industrial pendant lamp, panoramic barn window | OOOOX

BOX barn dining table from above — black place settings, cast iron pot on wooden board, white Tolix chairs, industrial pendant lights viewed from gallery | OOOOX

BOX barn dining table detail — white table top on plumbing pipe base leg, black place settings with cutlery, white metal Tolix chairs, arched window to garden | OOOOX

Bathroom without chrome

Given the size of the house, the bathroom is combined with the toilet — but both the shower and the vanity unit make use of the full depth of the room, so it never feels cramped. We deliberately avoided modern chrome and stainless steel: the taps are in rubberised bronze, and the stone basin ties in materially with what naturally appears in the surrounding landscape.

The shower is separated by a partition in a white frame reminiscent of a factory window. The walls are finished with metro-style tiles, and the floor features tiles imitating aged, whitewashed wood. The long vanity shelf allowed us to use pendant lights — unusual in a bathroom, but they create soft, pleasant light instead of the standard harsh "bathroom" overhead fixture.

BOX barn bathroom vanity — stone river rock vessel sink on white concrete countertop, dark bronze tall faucet, weathered wood-framed mirror, white wire pendant lights | OOOOX

BOX barn bathroom — full-height glass shower enclosure with white steel grid frame, dark bronze shower fittings, white subway tiles, toilet | OOOOX

BOX barn bathroom detail — stone vessel sink with dark bronze faucet, weathered wood mirror frame, white subway tile wall | OOOOX

BOX barn shower interior detail — wall-mounted shampoo and soap dispensers, dark bronze thermostatic mixer, bath spout, white subway tiles | OOOOX

Renovations that make sense

This barn renovation is, for us, a proof that even a crumbling agricultural building can offer a strong atmosphere and quality living space. And because this project involved more than just the interior, we also documented the process of designing a pool on a slope – spoiler: it wasn't as straightforward as it sounds.

Interested in how we approach projects like this? Read more in the RENOVATIONS section — it is our favourite discipline.

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by Radka - 21. 4. 2026