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From Julian:
‘The barn form is instantly
recognisable—like a kid’s
drawing of a house.
A strong, symmetrical
roofline makes it powerful.
From there, you can play
with the design—rotate it,
split it, or create double barn
forms for added flexibility.’

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This handbook will show you how
to achieve the Barn look inside
and out and support your journey
to creating a Barn home. From the
steeply-pitched roof, to the oversized
picture windows, to open floorplans
and interior details, this guide is
designed to help you create spaces
that embody the spirit of Barn style.

Julian is the mastermind architect behind many of The Block’s transformations. He’s an expert in barn design, and how to create the rustic barn feel whilst ensuring energy efficiencies, flexible floor plans, and modern kitchen and entertaining spaces.

Meet your guide
<h2>Julian Brenchley</h2>

With Julian Brenchley,
Group Architects

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The Barn has bona fide street appeal. Stria™
Cladding Smooth painted an earthy rust
colour, and a timeless peaked-roof silhouette
are symbolic of the heritage of the design.

Design Handbook 2025

05,Barn

Ready to specify Hardie™ fibre cement products in your next project?

The Barn’s adaptable structure supports numerous
facade treatments, allowing for personalised aesthetics
that suit different environments and tastes.

MH LineaWB Wide 1440x1440

Complementary Products

Julian designed his barn with
thermal breaks, deeper roof
frames, and insulation layers to
create energy-efficient spaces.

‘Bushfire resilience is a must—
James Hardie products and steel
frames provide a non-combustible
solution’ says Julian.

Keep it simple with a single cladding
type to reduce material waste and
speed up construction. Modular
cladding layouts make the build more
efficient—just like setting a datum line
around windows to minimise offcuts.

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‘Barn style offers incredible versatility
in its design, allowing you to create a
striking uniform look by using a single
product en masse for maximum impact.
Using modular cladding layouts reduces
construction waste and speeds up the
build process.’
—Julian Brenchley, Group Architects

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Featuring deep, square-shaped grooves, this cladding
can be installed either horizontally or vertically, creating
a striking effect that complements robust Barn shapes.
The sleek vertical lines emulate the intricate detail of
vertical joint timber, offering a handcrafted look and feel.

Barn Oblique300 Wide 1080x1440

The unique square and slanted edge grooves
evoke the look of standing seam metal, adding
drama and visual interest to Barn facades.

Cladding solutions

Dulux® Black Caviar

Dulux® Silkwort

Dulux® Lexicon Half

Scheme Two

Dulux® Black

Dulux® Very Terracotta

Scheme One

The colour palette takes its inspiration from Nordic
minimalism, with added warm feature accents to ensure
a calming, balanced Barn interior. The colour palette
helps to emphasise the architectural simplicity of Barn style, allowing the play of light and shadow and the
beauty of the Barn form to take centre stage.

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Barn

‘The Barn doesn’t
have to be black or
white. I chose terracotta
because it’s earthy and
timeless—it blends
into the Australian
landscape while feeling
warm and inviting.’
—Julian Brenchley, Group Architects

Colour palette

Want to cut heating and cooling
costs? Zone your home. Close off
areas you don’t need all the time—
like extra bedrooms—and focus
on heating or cooling the spaces
you actually use daily.

The Barn really leans in to smart
spacial planning. ‘You can lock
off parts of the house to create a
secondary dwelling inside the barn
itself. Separate entry points allow
teenagers or elderly parents their
own space while still being part
of the home’ says Julian.

 The vertical lines of Hardie™ Oblique™ Cladding
accentuate the feel of craftsmanship. Vertical
joint cladding can handle dark colours and
provides an artisan look.

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Modern interpretations of the Barn style
play with the roof lines to create asymmetry,
and create interest using Hardie™ Oblique™ Cladding in alternating 200mm and
300mm widths.

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Interior spaces are airy and uncluttered,
inspired by Nordic minimalism. Designed
by Altereco. Photo by Marnie Hawson.

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A gable roof should be elevated and high set with a
pitch of 35 to 45 degrees to create a diagrammatic
form. The roof is typically clad with corrugated steel.

Steeply pitched roof

Long, rectangular windows and sliding doors
accentuate the dramatic height of the house.
This also helps to highlight the connection to
nature and outdoor spaces.

Rectangular windows

There should be either a complete absence of eaves,
or there should be over-sized eaves. This provides
a striking silhouette and

Deep and/or absence of eaves

Vertical or horizontal cladding detail creates an artisan
look and can be painted any colour to either mimic or
stand out in the surrounds. Small touches of timber
or stone are often used alongside cladding.

To improve cost efficiency, ensure ceiling heights and
room dimensions align with standard material sizes—
for example, Julian suggests using 3m cladding panels
eliminating unnecessary horizontal joins, reducing
waste and labour.

Artisan exterior

Barns enjoy warm and uncluttered interiors, with
soft textures, natural-look materials, and interior
barn doors. Every square metre in a barn home
should serve a purpose. Julian maximises usable
living areas to lower overall construction costs. He
suggests stacking bathrooms and wet areas vertically
to simplify plumbing and installation expenses.

Interiors

Design features

05 Barn 2025

This 400m2 Barn is designed for modern family living, balancing
warmth, functionality and a connection to nature. Built within
a $1M–$1.5M budget, the design embraces established native gardens, dappled sunlight, and expansive sky views. A whole-house cladding solution elevates durability and resilience, important to Julian in this brief. Dual entrances were important for his flexible plan, future-proofed for changing stages of life.
Designed by Julian Brenchley, Group Architects.

JamesHardie DesignHandbook Barn floorplan (1)

Floorplan

Barn style houses typically have a complete
absence of eaves, and oversized windows,
as seen in this Barn project, ‘Big Red’,
designed by Architect George and clad
in Axon™ Cladding. Photo by Max Combi.

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Barn-style homes, inspired by Nordic minimalism, are renowned for their straightforward design, cost-effective construction and efficient use of space. The open-plan layouts enhance natural light and ventilation, contributing to energy efficiency. Barn designs also adapt well to natural surroundings, allowing for optimal orientation that maximises passive solar gain and natural cooling, reducing reliance on artificial climate control. Furthermore, the use of durable materials like Hardie™ cladding products ensure longevity and low maintenance. 

Builders love working with the Barn style because it’s predictable. Standard spans, simple rooflines, and uniform cladding all make for a cost-effective build. Early contractor engagement ensures the design stays practical and budget-friendly.

‘A barn is a simple structure.
If you overcomplicate the build,
you create more surface area,
more complexity, and more cost.
The beauty of a barn is its
straightforward form—it’s efficient
to build and easy to adapt.’
—Julian Brenchley, Group Architects

The simplicity of shape and cladding
dominant materiality of the barn works well
with bold colour blocking. Shown here using
Hardie™ Oblique™ Cladding in 200mm and
300mm painted in terracotta.

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Effective use of natural light and ventilation,
enhanced by cross-ventilation strategies,
creates fresh and comfortable interiors while
reducing reliance on artificial systems. Colour
plays a key role, with the option for colourful,
well-balanced designs using Australian bush
tones, accentuated with bold colour blocking and
warm timber elements, fostering both individuality
and harmony with the surrounding neighbourhood.

Large windows accentuate the form of this
Barn home, clad with Hardie™ Oblique™
Cladding, combined with Hardie™ deck and
large sliding doors to connect with nature.

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Barn spaces are inclusively designed to reflect a
family’s evolving needs. Visibility of play and pool
areas, private yet accessible parents’ retreats
and the flexible floorplans to adapt as children
grow or multi-generational living becomes a reality
are central to these designs. Such homes cater to
a variety of stages—welcoming young children,
accommodating guests or grandparents, and even
addressing the needs of adult children who stay
longer than expected.

‘The barn layout is completely adaptable. Inside that
iconic shape, you can create anything—open-plan
living, separate zones, even a secondary dwelling
with its own entrance. It’s about designing for now
and for the future.’ says Julian.

Incorporating steel frames and non-combustible
external cladding systems, such as James Hardie’s
fibre cement products, significantly enhances
the resilience of barn-style homes. Steel frames
provide robust structural support, offering
resistance to pests like termites and reducing the
risk of warping or rotting over time. When paired
with non-combustible cladding materials, these
homes achieve superior fire resistance, a crucial
consideration in areas prone to bushfires.

The Modern Homes Forecast 2025 identifies four lifestyle themes changing the way we design and build our homes today. Global and local changes are reshaping how we live, and here we show how Barn homes are evolving to reflect these shifts.

Lifestyle themes

Natural materials such as timber, stone and brick introduce warmth and craftsmanship.

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Natural-look materials and textures create
a sophisticated yet unpretentious aesthetic,
blending rustic charm with contemporary design.

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Blue stone pavers offer a great focal point for pathways in drought tolerant landscaping.

WoodSlats 3x4

Minimalist wooden fence slats create elegant
boundaries, balancing privacy with openness.

BlondeTimber 3x4

Perfectly imperfect timbers showcase authentic
wood grain, while their organic lines promote a
connection to nature.

TexturedWalls 3x4

Textured walls can add a further layer
of depth and tactility to the material palette.

NaturalLinens 3x4

Natural linens used in window coverings
provide a soft tactile feel, while maintaining the
clean aesthetic essential to Barn style.

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Loop pile wool carpet combines durability
with comfort, its thick weave adding texture
underfoot.

Choosing resilient materials when building modern barns is essential for ensuring durability, safety and long-
term performance. Resilient materials like steel, fibre cement and natural timber are designed to withstand environmental stresses, including harsh weather, fire risks and pest damage, reducing the need for frequent repairs or replacements.

Resilience is key—especially in
the Australian climate. Julian
recommends steel frames and non-
combustible James Hardie cladding
products to ensure durability and
bushfire resistance. Stria™ Cladding
Smooth adheres to bushfire attack
level requirements to BAL40.

A barn can be positioned to maximise
natural light and ventilation. If you get
the orientation right, you reduce reliance
on artificial heating and cooling. Shade
hoods over windows are a simple but
effective solution to prevent overheating.

‘Natural materials
create a harmonious
connection to the
environment and add
warmth and depth
to the simple, clean-
lined interior and
exterior forms.’

—Julian Brenchley, Group Architects

Materials & textures

JamesHardie Design-Handbook Barn Thumbnail

Download the Barn Design Handbook as a PDF

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Discover the Modern Barn House forecast, for 2025 with James Hardie. Explore innovative cladding, enhanced durability & smart design to boost its efficiency.

Modern Barn House Forecast 2025 | James Hardie

New interpretations of the Barn play with roof
lines to create asymmetry and use bold colours
to stand out. The interiors remain warm and
uncluttered, with natural-look materials and soft
textures providing a sense of calm and wellbeing.

Australian Barns have evolved from their Nordic
predecessors to suit local climates and surrounds.
The Barn also taps into our desire for simplicity
in busy, complex times with its agricultural
heritage offering a sense of authenticity.

A sense of calm, comfort and wellbeing is
at the forefront of design. While the peaked
roof is symbolic of the heritage of this design,
modern interpretations play with the roof lines
to create asymmetry and use bold colours to
stand out from the crowd. The Barn silhouette
is consistent as a simple diagrammatic form.
Adopting clean lines, the style mimicking the
look and feel of craftsmanship from early
settler homes ultimately fulfilling a heritage
feel without sacrificing modern convenience.

The Barn style prioritises sustainability
through light, insulation and eco-friendly
materials and is a good passive
house choice. ‘Shading is key for
resilience—shade hoods over windows
prevent overheating.’ says Julian.

The Barn architectural design style offers
inherent flexibility, making it adaptable to
various modern needs while retaining its
rustic charm. The key flexibility qualities
of the Barn style include open floor plans,
multipurpose living spaces, indoor/outdoor
integration and energy efficiency upgrades.

‘With flexible zoning, a home can function as
a family home today and as an investment
property tomorrow.’ says Julian.

The barn form allows for clever zoning—
you can lock off a section as a secondary
dwelling with its own entry. Whether it’s
for aging parents, adult children, or rental
income, it’s a future-proof design solution.

Stria™ Cladding Smooth works well with the timeless
Barn silhouette and large windows. These barn-style
windows can be used to great effect for bringing
light and ventilation into the home.

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Dramatic ceiling heights offer vertical opportunities
for space to be utilised through mezzanine levels to squeeze in separate living or working areas.

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Combining dramatically high ceilings with flexible floor plans, the Barn offers rural charm in urban surroundings. As the style has evolved, the Barn design has become illustrative of simple, relaxed design with an emphasis on function and family.

Easy, flexible & cosy

Optimise internal layout for maximum efficiency

One of the simplest ways to save on
construction costs is by designing an efficient
internal layout. Stacking bathrooms vertically
ensures plumbing remains centralised, reducing
installation complexity and material costs. Another
key cost-saving measure is designing rooms around
standard material dimensions—for example, using
3 metre cladding panels eliminates unnecessary
joins, reducing both material waste and labour.

Keep external finishes simple and uniform

Mixing multiple exterior materials can quickly
drive up costs due to the added labour, complexity,
and the need for different waterproofing solutions.
By choosing a single, high-quality cladding material,
such as pre-primed and pre-finished fibre cement
panels, builders can streamline installation and eliminate the need for additional painting and finishing.
Stria™ Cladding Smooth is pre-sealed and paint-
friendly ready for any colour choice.

Utilise standardised construction elements

Simplicity in structural design means faster build times
and lower labour costs. The barn’s natural form—
simple, rectangular, and symmetrical—lends itself
to cost efficiency by avoiding unnecessary curves,
complex rooflines, or bespoke structural elements that
can drive up costs. Keeping the design straightforward
makes it easier for builders to work with, reducing the
likelihood of errors and expensive modifications.

Engage contractors early in the design process

One of the most overlooked cost-saving
strategies is early contractor engagement.
Involving builders during the design phase allows
for better collaboration between architects, engineers,
and construction teams, ensuring the design is both
practical and cost-effective. This prevents expensive
design changes throughout the build, helps streamline
material purchasing, and ensures that structural
decisions align with on-site realities. By working
together collaboratively, architects and builders
can find smart, budget-friendly solutions together.

Design for long-term efficiency and future savings

Beyond the build costs, a well-designed home
should also be energy-efficient and future-proofed.
Passive solar design—strategic window placement,
cross-ventilation, and shading—significantly reduces
artificial heating and cooling costs. Also, incorporating
multi-use spaces or secondary dwellings can add
financial flexibility; homeowners can generate rental
income or reconfigure areas to suit changing family
dynamics. Whether it’s an attached granny flat, a
locked off suite, or a future Airbnb rental, designing
with flexibility in mind means the house is a smart
investment for years to come.