Renovated barn and cottage in Kokořín — shared wooden terrace with teak outdoor dining table and chairs between both buildings, barn flue pipe and trees in background

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KOKOŘÍN barn

The reconstruction of this barn was guided from the very beginning by one clear intention: not to lose what made the building valuable in the first place. We transformed a small agricultural structure into an open space for gathering, relaxing, and occasional overnight stays – without rewriting its original essence. We didn’t want to create a new backdrop. We wanted the old barn to remain a barn – just adapted to a new way of living.

The result is an interior where the original structure, material honesty, and the atmosphere of the place are still very much present. In projects like this, it’s important to us that the new layer doesn’t overpower the existing one, but instead builds on it.

Next to the cottage, not in it’s shadow

This barn conversion wasn’t designed as a fully independent house, but rather as an extension of the existing cottage. That, in fact, became its advantage. The building could function more freely, with a stronger focus on shared space, atmosphere, and seasonal use.

For clients considering the renovation of an old barn, this is often one of the key questions. Not every barn needs to be a full-fledged house. Sometimes it makes more sense to create an open living space for the family, guests, and weekend use that expands the possibilities of the main house.

Terrace between Kokořín barn and cottage — open sliding barn door revealing interior sandstone walls, stove and kitchen; white cottage with dark timber shutters and teak outdoor furniture

View from loft to Kokořín barn living space — black steel staircase at right, full view of kitchen, stove with flue pipe, sandstone walls and white pine board ceiling with timber trusses

View through ajar dark pine sliding door into Kokořín barn interior — concrete floor, black stove in background and six porcelain rotary switches on sandstone corner wall

Entrance to renovated Kokořín barn — large open sliding dark timber doors with garden view, wooden shingle roof and surrounding vegetation

Opening up to the outdoors

A key part of the design was the connection between interior and exterior. During the summer months, large sliding doors can be tucked behind wooden cladding, allowing the barn to fully open up to the outside.

At that point, the interior no longer feels like a closed structure, but rather an extension of the garden and the surrounding landscape. This ability to transform was essential to the concept. We didn’t want to create just a visually appealing interior, but a space that truly comes alive as a social hub between the house, the garden, and nature.

Under the roof, without excess

The ground floor is formed by a large open living space with a kitchen and a bathroom. We originally considered adding a dining area, but since the barn is connected to the cottage via a covered passage, the dining table was placed there instead. This allowed the interior to remain more open and generous.

A light steel staircase leads from the living area to a narrow gallery cutting through the barn’s roof structure, ending in a small bedroom on the northern side. It comfortably accommodates up to four people. The layout is based on a simple principle: maximum openness downstairs, more intimate sleeping space above.

Loft corridor in Kokořín barn — narrow passage between white pine board walls and pitched roof, original dark timber rafters, light pine board floor and bedroom door at the end

Close-up of black steel staircase steps from the side — dramatic lighting emphasising folded steel edges, white pine board wall and original timber beam fragment in background

Full view of living area in renovated Kokořín barn — green velvet sofa, black steel staircase to loft, original timber A-frame trusses and white pine board walls with garden-view windows

Side view of Kokořín barn staircase stringer — diagonal black steel panel in foreground, pale birch plywood attic partition behind, white pine board ceiling and dark timber rafters above

View to the apex of Kokořín barn roof structure — symmetrical A-frame of white pine boards and original dark timber rafters, square window at apex with garden view

Two industrial pendant lamps with cream enamel shades and exposed bulbs hanging from original dark timber truss — white pine board ceiling and black steel beam-to-timber connector bracket

The best was already there

One of the main goals was to preserve the stone walls and the original timber structure. The stone surfaces required careful repair and stabilization, but their rawness and imperfections give the interior its strongest character.

In this particular project, sandstone walls play a crucial role. They became a natural part of the interior and give the space a unique identity.

The remaining part of the barn was originally timber. The relatively delicate beams were complemented with new elements designed to match their aged appearance, and everything was unified in a consistent wood tone. At the client’s request, the structure was emphasized even more, making wood and stone the defining elements of the space.

Detail of original dark timber beam with new black steel clamping bracket against white pine board wall — contrast of aged wood and modern industrial element

Six white porcelain vintage rotary light switches (3×2 grid) on sandstone block wall — authentic electrical detail from the Kokořín barn renovation

Materials without make-up

For the flooring, we initially considered a new epoxy finish, but ultimately chose simple concrete throughout the space. It feels far more natural in the context of an old barn. Even the cracks that appeared over time are seen as part of the result. They don’t read as flaws, but as reminders of the building’s age and its natural evolution.

In projects like this, it’s always about finding the right balance - what should be new, what should remain raw, and where too much stylization would do more harm than good. You can find more about how to renovate a barn and how we approach these projects in general in our dedicated article on barn renovations.

Black cast iron cooking stove with black flue pipe rising through the barn ceiling — white plaster wall and pine board ceiling, oak kitchen cabinets at left, light pine door at right, concrete floor

Panoramic view of Kokořín barn kitchen zone — concrete island at left, oak cabinets along sandstone wall, cast iron stove with flue pipe, linear LED pendant and glimpse through to dining room

Kokořín barn kitchen line — oak cabinets along sandstone wall, concrete worktop with black faucet and sink, linear LED pendant lamp, tall oak cabinets with oven at right

A kitchen extended into space

The kitchen layout was relatively compact, and it quickly became clear that it wouldn’t accommodate all of the client’s needs. The solution was to extend the kitchen island towards the large window. This move connected the kitchen more closely with the living area while also providing a more generous work surface.

All furniture was custom-designed to maximize storage. The countertop and the cantilevered island are made of cast concrete, while the rest of the kitchen uses natural oak veneer. Together, they create a combination that feels calm, natural, and durable enough for weekend use.

Top-down view through two original dark timber beams over Kokořín barn kitchen counter — concrete worktop with undermount sink, black faucet and linear LED pendant, sandstone wall behind

View along Kokořín barn kitchen island — concrete island worktop in foreground, kitchen counter with sink and linear LED lighting, oak cabinets with appliances along sandstone wall

Kokořín barn kitchen space — concrete island with induction hob at left, kitchen counter along sandstone wall with linear LED pendant, oak cabinets and concrete floor

Corner detail of Kokořín barn kitchen sink — black pull-down faucet, concrete worktop, oak drawer cabinet with black handle and sandstone block wall in corner

Old things, new serenity

The owner wanted pieces of furniture from the original cottage to be incorporated into the living space. As a result, the interior was not designed as a perfectly unified composition, but as a natural blend of old and new. Various sofas and armchairs are complemented by a colorful Persian rug, which adds coziness to the space and softens its more raw foundation.

Kokořín barn living room — green velvet sofa with floral cushion, wooden parquet-top coffee table, patterned rug, steel staircase and timber truss in background

Kokořín cottage dining room — view along dark farmhouse table, black steel ladder to loft, glass pendant cluster, white pine board ceiling with original beams and green-painted area at loft opening

Dining room in Kokořín cottage passage — dark farmhouse table with mix of bentwood and industrial chairs, cluster of glass Edison pendants, terracotta brick floor and sandstone wall

Black steel ladder leading to the Kokořín barn loft gallery — large original weathered timber beam as gallery floor edge, sandstone masonry at left, white plaster wall with retro switch and pine board ceiling above

Bathroom in renovated Kokořín barn — walk-in shower with dark bottle-green vertical tiles and black thermostatic mixer, Alape Bucket sink, Monolux LED backlit mirror and black-and-white hexagonal floor tiles

A bathroom that stands out without disrupting

The bathroom is the most expressive part of the interior in terms of color. The floor features a black-and-white pattern, while the walls are finished with vertically laid tiles in a deep bottle-green shade. It’s a space that embraces color, yet remains cohesive thanks to black industrial fixtures and a straightforward design approach.

A notable detail is the Bucket sink by Alape, which combines a traditional shape with a contemporary expression. Above it hangs a backlit mirror. Here too, the goal was to find a balance between the rawness of the original structure and modern detailing.

Kokořín bathroom shower detail — dark bottle-green vertical tiles with black thermostatic shower column, black linear drain, sandstone wall and black-and-white hexagonal floor tiles

Detail of Alape Bucket sink with black wall-mounted faucet and amber soap dispenser on sandstone wall, Monolux round LED backlit mirror above — Kokořín barn bathroom

Meaningful renovation.

This barn conversion in Kokořín shows that even a small agricultural building can offer a strong atmosphere and high-quality living space. Not through dramatic gestures, but through respect for the original structure, smart spatial decisions, and a sensitive approach to materials that were already there.

Interested in how we approach similar interior projects? Read more in our RENOVATIONS section—it’s our favorite discipline.