It took many years and a lot of patience before Natasha Miller was able to create the home she had always longed for
FEATURE SHARON PARSONS
LIVING SPACE
A neutral scheme emphasises the soaring ceilings and the beautiful original beams, which give the barn so much character.
HOME TRUTHS
THE PROPERTY Aconverted 17th century Grade ll-listed barn
ROOMS Living space, dining area, kitchen, utility room, cloakroom, four bedrooms, two bathrooms
LOCATION Kent
LIVING SPACE
The woodburner was here when the family moved in, but the couple removed the ornate surround to create a more sympathetic focal point using reclaimed bricks and lintels from an old oak tree that was cut locally by a friend.
My home really is my sanctuary,’ admits Natasha Miller – and it’s not difficult to see why. This mellow Kentish barn, nestled in the North Downs, is a calm, cohesive, light-filled space that feels effortlessly stylish. But there’s more to it than that. Natasha has a degenerative eye condition, which means her sight is severely impaired. ‘I have no peripheral vision so I have to look at things in sections,’ she explains. ‘It can make everyday life a bit challenging, so coming home to a place where I always feel happy, relaxed and safe has become increasingly important.’
The barn has been a much-loved family home for Natasha, her husband Alan and their three children since 2007, but it’s only in recent years that she has really been able to indulge her passion for interiors. ‘When we moved here many years ago, it ticked everything on our wish list: we wanted a characterful home in the country that was big enough for all of us, close to good schools and amenities. As soon as we viewed this barn conversion, we knew it would be perfect for us.’ The couple were, however, resigned to a long wait before they could make substantial changes. ‘Busy family life ate into both our time and our budget,’ Natasha laughs. ‘We simply lived with everything we already had when we came here and it wasn’t until our brood started to fly the nest a few years ago that we finally had the opportunity to reimagine it all.’
The wait had given Natasha plenty of time to fine-tune her interior design ideas. ‘I pretty much knew exactly what I wanted – and luckily Alan agreed!’ she says. First to be tackled was the kitchen. ‘I wanted a modern country design with plenty of storage, lots of light and not least my much-loved Aga, which we’ve had for years,’ she says. ‘The kitchen was built by a local company and it was so exciting to finally see everything I’d wanted in situ.’
Also intrinsic in giving the barn a new lease of life was the installation of bifold
