Turning A Stable Block Into Living Accomodation

Multi Award Winning Interior Designer Kerrie Griffin shows us how you can turn an old shed or stables in this case into accomodation.

I have been a busy bee the last week trying to get my barn ready for My estate agent's crazy idea!
Most of my friends said you are joking you are going to empty all that "crap" out of that huge space and turn it into accommodation!!! I said Yep! so 9 days later with no fingernails left and at one point I hadn't eaten properly for a couple of days, completely focussed on finishing for Monday's deadline of a photoshoot by amazing photographer Si Ranshaw.

One friend came to help me lug some furniture and the estate agent spent a full day here lugging heavy furniture from a to b, c to d!!. A customer helped me put a shed up for 2 candle holders and a couple of other friends offered the advice, you will never do it!.

So here we are only days after to show you the results on a shoestring!
Here are my costs.

I had to paint the floor instead of having a wooden floor laid down to budget and I love it. This has transformed a junk barn into an amazing space to enjoy a G&T overlooking Greddington Estate.

Initially, this was a stable block that cost £2500 I brought the roof overlay out and built it down to create a rectangle, giving more space inside. I removed the partitions and the stables doors and fitted with some factory seconds klober doors which were heavily reduced a few years ago, but then stopped the project due to personal circumstances.

I re took on the project just 9 days ago and finished plaster boarding the ceiling and spraying the whole room white not an easy task up a ladder on your own!.

Spray gun verses a cheap broom!

The spay gun was brilliant for about 2 hours then started clogging up, you had to water the paint down to water consistency so it would spray through the tiny hole!. However it was too watery and dripped everywhere. The finnish is brilliant but would I do it again probably then I would remember that I gave up after trying to get it going for 4 hours to paint the decking. I actually used a natural fibre broom and my roasting tin!, I watered the paint down to single cream and finished two very large decking areas within 1 hour. I used Normal emulsion in the barn and exterior brick paint for the decking, I find any paint needs repainting each year and this is a cheaper option than the £389 saddling I have previously used. At £20 per 15 litres it does the decking areas with 2-3 coats.

Plasterboard £7 plus vat per sheet needed 7
Plasterboard fitter £170 inc 2 sheets of plasterboard

Shed ordered Robert dyers for £400
Erect £80

Flooring decided to paint took 30 litres about £55
Paint walls ceiling lining paper first foam, filler tape and paint £70
Paint sprayer £53.99 was £59.99
Cushions and accessories £350

My time is about 9 days working long hours.


I hope you will be inspired to do a project like this yourself! I have written a book called from shed to chic in which I share how I created a holiday let in my garden from my garage. Here is the link to buy it https://theinteriorco.co.uk/collections/books/products/from-shed-to-chic-paperback-book-by-kerrie-griffin