This Converted Farmstead Was Crowned House Of The Year
And the entire home cost just £335,000 to build...

The award for the UK's best new architect-designed house went to aCounty Down converted farmstead inrural Northern Ireland.
The modernbarn, named House Lessans,was crownedHouse of the Yearby The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
You wouldn't normally associate rolling hills with modern, minimalist architecture, but in the case of House Lessans the minimalist barn structure suits its countryside surroundings.
The three-bedroom County Down propertywhich was built on the site of a former farmsteadin Saintfield is firmly rooted in its landscape.
The home's two blocks echo the barn and other agricultural buildings they sit alongside, while it's minimal rooms all have large windows, making the most of the uninterrupted countryside views.
The L-shaped home is made up of two blocks, with walls made from white-rendered concrete with pitched zinc roofs, designed to complement the neighbouring agricultural outbuildings.
Like the exterior, all the rooms have simple finishes. The focus is on views out over the landscape that are framed through expanses of glass.
Be The First To Know
The Livingetc newsletters are your inside source for what’s shaping interiors now - and what’s next. Discover trend forecasts, smart style ideas, and curated shopping inspiration that brings design to life. Subscribe today and stay ahead of the curve.
One wing of the house contains a suite of three bedrooms and one bathroom, while the second hosts the communal living spaces that includes a double-height living room and kitchen.
Belfast based studio McGonigle McGrath designed the family home to meet the needs of a semi-retired couple and their children, who have left home but occasionally visit and stay.
Basic building materials, cost-saving hacks and the simple arrangement of rooms within have meant that every penny of the client's budget has been carefully and well spent.
The architecture firm impressively managed to design the whole home on a budget of just £335,000,equivalent to £1,425 per square metre.
To achieve this, architects McGonigle McGrathdeliberately used simple details and construction methods which included cheap concrete blocks for the walls and huge openable windows, instead of bifold doors.
RIBA president Alan Jones said the home was “executed with incredible clarity and restraint”.
He added “House Lessans demonstrates that life enhancing architecture does not have to cost the earth. Executed with incredible clarity and restraint, McGonigle McGrath have used simple and cheap materials to create a truly bespoke home that resonates with its owners and its context. Even with the tightest of budgets, House Lessans shows that a dream home, designed by a talented architect, can be a reality.”
Proof that you don't need a big budget to achieve impressive design.
Architecture by Kieran McGonigle
Photography by Aidan McGrath

Lotte is the former Digital Editor for Livingetc, having worked on the launch of the website. She has a background in online journalism and writing for SEO, with previous editor roles at Good Living, Good Housekeeping, Country & Townhouse, and BBC Good Food among others, as well as her own successful interiors blog. When she's not busy writing or tracking analytics, she's doing up houses, two of which have features in interior design magazines. She's just finished doing up her house in Wimbledon, and is eyeing up Bath for her next project.
-
Newgarden’s Outdoor Lighting Collection Is the Perfect Range to Illuminate Your Spring Garden for Relaxing Evenings Outdoors
If you’re looking for soft, ambient lighting to breathe life into a garden after dark, Newgarden’s new range will be your first and final stop
-
Color Crush! 'Sakura Blush' Is the Sweet Shade That Challenges the Idea That Pink Is 'Too Childish'
Our May Color Crush, Sakura Blush, is the perfect balance of depth and delicacy, and can completely transform your interior design — here's how
-
The simple way to a more sustainable and stylish life with Fisher & Paykel
This incredible new tech saves time, energy and has become the washing machine you need to know about
-
Forget Cottagecore - Flora Fantasia by House of Hackney is Cottage hardcore
House of Hackney's Flora Fantasia collection blends the romanticised rural aesthetic with riotous punk elements
-
Bert & May's new hexagon tiles collection is tapping into one of this year's biggest micro trends
Tap into the microtrend for hexagon tiles and make myriad patterns with this new collection from Bert & May
-
Matthew Williamson’s tip for renovating a house on a budget is so simple, but incredibly effective
Renovating a house on a budget? See the savvy ways to control costs when managing an interior redesign
-
The fabulous new Matthew Williamson furniture collection is a cocktail of color and print
This decorative Matthew Williamson furniture is the beautiful result of collaboration with Roome London
-
Out & Out's new furniture collection is full of stylish storage solutions
This stylish storage will have your home organised in a jiffy - whatever its size
-
Explore Sandra Bullock’s former coastal chic home in Georgia
Sandra Bullock has just sold her beautiful island beach house, giving us a glimpse at her coastal-inspired interior style.
-
Stylish flat pack furniture - how this home design staple has suddenly got cool
Thought flat pack furniture was cheap and cheerful? FUZL Studio is proving otherwise with its new collection