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A contemporary take on traditional Nordic architecture, Barn by James Hardie – one of seven housing design styles identified in the company’s Modern Homes Forecast 2024 – is stunning in its simplicity.
The release of the James Hardie Modern Homes Forecast 2024 earlier this year not only solidified the company’s reputation as Australia and New Zealand’s number-one cladding brand but reflected its commitment to understanding what local consumers want when it comes to their homes. The unprecedented research initiative identified seven modern home styles that James Hardie predicts will drive the contemporary home landscape now and into the future.
This month, focus turns to the Barn, a Scandinavian-influenced home style that embodies the concept of ‘hygge’ – a feeling of contentment influenced by one’s surroundings. Simple and rustic in style, Barn is James Hardie’s contemporary take on a more traditional form, where there’s a distinctive relationship between the structure and its surroundings. There’s an emphasis on clean lines and craftsmanship, whether the style is classic, vintage, traditional or rustic, the four main typologies identified by James Hardie.
Its external features include a symmetrical, steeply pitched gable roof, either no eaves at all or oversized eaves, capacious windows and large sliding doors to foster heightened indoor-outdoor connection. Vertical or horizontal detailing is also a key element, and James Hardie – the nation’s leading cladding brand – has the perfect architectural solutions to create that look. The wide grooves and bespoke design flexibility of Hardie (the only Hardie cladding product with a slanted grooved edge) deliver both drama and visual interest, while the deep grooves and pared-back aesthetic of Stria Cladding, which can be laid horizontally or vertically, perfectly complement the Barn form. Axon Cladding’s clean, finely detailed vertical lines also fit the Scandinavian aesthetic beautifully.
Adapting Nordic design motifs for Australian conditions sees the style’s interiors embracing natural light, organic textures, soft ambient lighting, a pared-back palette, vaulted ceilings and open-plan living. To reflect the hygge concept, spaces are envisioned as being uncluttered and airy, but rooms need to also have a sense of warmth and serenity, helping to engender contentment and safety, key bywords of hygge.
James Hardie has partnered with seasoned renovators Rhys and Kirsten Stanley to create a Barn Design Handbook, a definitive guide to a style the couple love working with – they’ve recently completed their dream Barn-style home on the Victorian coast. “Details like the steeply pitched gable roof, the vaulted ceilings and the unmistakeable barn shape are what makes this style something that people fall in love with,” Kirsten says. “The Barn … is simple, versatile and really inviting,” Rhys adds.
