Turning nothing into something
Architect Gemma Wheeler, renowned for her design-focused approach and award-winning projects, boasts a significant following on her YouTube channel, Gemma Wheeler Architecture, with an impressive subscriber count of 17.4k.
One day, an online viewer presented Gemma with an intriguing challenge: to transform an old stone barn that currently serves as a storage space for musical instruments, into a thing of beauty.
This undertaking posed a considerable challenge due to the barn’s incredibly narrow dimensions, measuring a mere 9m x 2.5m, with only a ladder inside.
Yet, undeterred by the constraints, Gemma wholeheartedly accepted the task. It’s pretty obvious that she was driven by her unwavering commitment to excellence in all her endeavors.
Who is Architect Gemma Wheeler?
Gemma’s website describes her as “a design-focused, award-winning architect, specializing in thoughtful, site-specific projects. She is inspired by local materials, vernacular forms, and the future lifestyle of the inhabitant. Based in Edinburgh, she has worked on projects throughout the United Kingdom. Her YouTube channel Gemma Wheeler Architecture focuses on new builds for tiny plots and the re-modeling of small historical ruins.”
Considering her passion for what she does, there is absolutely no doubt that she’s going to bring her A-game into this project.
Gemma’s first step involved designing a clever solution to introduce natural light into the barn. Placing a skylight above the staircase, she ensured that both floors would benefit from an abundance of daylight.
Maximize maximize maximize!
Given the barn’s elongated shape, Gemma ingeniously maximized the horizontal space available, optimizing its full potential.
To prioritize privacy for the occupants, Gemma strategically positioned the rooms, including a restroom, at both ends of the barn, while leaving the central section as a corridor. Consequently, anyone staying in the rooms would enjoy utmost seclusion, as the majority of foot traffic would be limited to the middle portion housing the staircase.
Despite the barn’s compact size, Gemma excelled in incorporating numerous storage solutions throughout the house. She ingeniously utilized the space under the stairs, integrated storage into the bed frames and tables, and even transformed room doors into closets.
On the ground floor, Gemma concealed the restroom in a round corner, camouflaging it as a paneled end wall, ensuring both functionality and aesthetics seamlessly merged.
Upstairs, Gemma transformed the same round corner into an extension of the living space. Here, she maximized the available area by adding additional cabinets, storage options, and even another bedroom complete with a shower.
The true power of Architecture and design
Gemma’s ability to transform the small stone barn into a functional and livable space, utilizing every nook and cranny, was truly remarkable. It is evident that this challenge posed no obstacle for her immense talent and creativity.
One of her viewers couldn’t get enough of her fantastic designs, “Another fantastic design. I thought after the initial walk through of the interior that there is very little that could be done, considering all the constraints. Wow, was I wrong. Your design is truly amazing.”
Another one wrote, “That was very beautiful. One of the most intriguing small home design I have ever seen. I would absolutely love living in a place like that.”
Watch the video below to see architect Gemma Wheeler’s amazing design.
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