New construction barn house in northern Netherlands

Northern Netherlands

The client’s dream was to realize a characteristic Dutch barn house, equipped with all modern conveniences. He wanted a barn home built in a traditional style with wood frame construction, a method that is rare today. The vision was clear: choose timber frame construction, specifically with oak, where the oak beams and purlins would be the eye-catchers from different rooms.

Newly built farmhouse with French oak beams

After a visit to our lumber yard, the plan took shape. It was further developed and eventually it was decided to use French oak beams, dried naturally for years. This provided high-quality oak, with a beautiful lived-in look after a brush treatment. For the roof boarding, we chose planks from an old farmhouse, with dark tones that went perfectly with the oak rafters.

The immense roof was supported mainly by large oak beams with head sizes of 30×30 cm and lengths of up to 9 meters. The weight of one such beam, some 750 kg, did not deter it from its task. Both from the first floor and from outside, the majestic height of the roof was clearly visible. Modern amenities were integrated, with a focus on energy efficiency, while maintaining the charm of an old farmhouse thanks to the wooden beams.

In short, a fantastic project that we enjoyed working on with:

SKA architecture studio

Photography: Joost van Deijzen