Matt Black Barn, Chichester
In rural Chichester, set among four acres of wildflower meadow, Uncommon Projects completed this multi-room project for artists Laura Ford and Andrew Sabin at their new live/work space. The barn’s striking matt black corrugated exterior called for a set of furniture in line with the building’s robust industrial aesthetic. Across the kitchen, living, entrance and hall areas Uncommon Projects designed and installed bespoke pieces that would complement their environment both in style and scale.
As sculptors the clients were particularly sensitive to texture and surface and were keen to inject a sense of warmth and refinement across this sizeable space. Uncommon Projects proposed oak-veneered birch plywood as the home’s base material, with neutral shades of black and white interspersed.
The kitchen truly sums up this balance between warmth and utility. The centrepiece, a 4.8m long storage-packed island with Bora hob, has been positioned to take in the countryside views and allow for conversation towards the dining area. Welded by Andrew himself, a tactile red oxide powder coated steel frame transforms this imposing piece into an eye-catching visual boundary for the kitchen, marking it as a defined and separate zone.
In the living room, oak-veneered cabinetry finished with matt black fronts plays both room divider and home gallery, a tv discreetly hidden behind smooth sliding panels. Next door, showcasing the building’s impressive ceiling height, Uncommon Projects designed a towering bookcase with adjustable shelving, staggered to fit neatly under the roof.
Somewhere to remove and store footwear, the entrance features bench seating, bookended by tall cabinets for hanging coats and bags neatly out of sight. Storage continues in the designated yoga space overlooking a peaceful green courtyard, a tall, ultra-simple wardrobe helping to keep this vast, open-plan space clutter-free.
