Big Barn by Faulkner Architects

In Glen Ellen, California, Faulkner Architects reinterprets traditional barn forms with Big Barn, a family retreat that blends rural heritage with contemporary, minimalist design.

Replacing a 1950s ranch house, the two-storey home takes inspiration from the region’s agricultural vernacular. Its simple, rectangular form is topped with an asymmetrical gabled roof, while reclaimed redwood cladding lends texture and warmth, connecting the structure to its natural surroundings. Fenestration is restrained on the south-west-facing facade, where narrow vertical slits nod to traditional barn ventilation and help minimise solar heat gain. Conversely, the eastern side opens generously to the landscape, featuring expansive, steel-framed glazing that creates a fluid connection between interior spaces and views of oak-dappled hills.

The living space’s soaring, windowless upper volume evokes the cavernous interiors of barns, offering a sense of quiet grandeur.

The restrained material palette continues inside, where California oak lines the floors, walls and ceilings. This singular approach fosters continuity while highlighting the beauty of natural materials. The living space’s soaring, windowless upper volume evokes the cavernous interiors of barns, offering a sense of quiet grandeur. A vertical wood shutter at the south-east gable facilitates natural ventilation, ensuring a consistent flow of air while creating an axial alignment that runs through both levels of the home.

Energy efficiency is a cornerstone of Big Barn’s design and is celebrated throughout. Radiantly heated floors provides an efficient solution for warmth, while enhanced insulation and operable shutters mitigate cooling demands. Passive cooling strategies take advantage of prevailing breezes, reducing reliance on mechanical systems. The home’s thoughtful siting – partially embedded into the hillside to preserve the site’s contours – minimises grading, while the cantilevered design allows the structure to hover lightly above the sloping terrain.

A steel-grated bridge links the upper-level bedrooms to an existing tack barn, deepening the dwelling’s connection to its agricultural roots.

The kitchen, dining and living areas embrace the outdoors, with pocketing glass doors seamlessly connecting the interior to a rear terrace. The dining room, encased in floor-to-ceiling glazing, frames sweeping views of the surrounding hills. Carefully curated furnishings and lighting by Ken Fulk balance rustic textures with refined details, grounding the minimalist architecture in a sense of place.

A steel-grated bridge links the upper-level bedrooms to an existing tack barn, deepening the dwelling’s connection to its agricultural roots. This interplay between old and new celebrates the area’s heritage while infusing it with a contemporary sensibility.

Replacing a 1950s ranch house, the two-storey home takes inspiration from the region’s agricultural vernacular.

Big Barn’s design is a masterclass in restraint. By merging vernacular forms with modern minimalism, Faulkner Architects has created a timeless Californian retreat that feels deeply rooted in its place while offering a fresh perspective on rural living.

Architecture by Faulkner Architects. Interior design by Ken Fulk. Build by Redhorse Constructors. Landscape design by Michael Boucher Landscape Architecture.