A young farming family came to me with a dilemma. Do they purchase 3 acres of land and build a new home on it, or do they purchase 11 acres of land with a relatively new pole barn on the property but no home, and remodel the pole barn into a single-family residence. The clients chose the later, preferring the larger parcel of land. Mr. Homeowner currently works for a neighboring farm and had always dreamed of having his own land to farm. Mrs. Homeowner loves to garden and want to plot out her own spot for a large garden to supply a new small business venture – a local farm stand. So our journey began, drawing up plans to transform an average white steel pole barn into a home for them and their two small children, 8 and 5.

1. The barn was essentially split in half, with the front half designed for open living quarters (kitchen, dining, entry, living room, laundry room, bathroom) and the back half split into four bedrooms, another bath and a master suite.
2. A simple, modified galley-style kitchen with a large island, created an open kitchen concept with multiple work stations and plenty of seating for an eat-in kitchen, entertaining guests, or a spot to do homework while Mom prepares dinner.
3. Rustic Beech wood was selected for the cabinetry to complement the reclaimed barn wood used on the walls that was reclaimed from a family barn. Rustic Beech is a 1300 out of 2000 on the Janka wood hardness scale, so its durability will outlast this busy young family in a rural setting.
4. Corrugated steel was used as a decorative backsplash material to add another textural interest to the space and to complement the stainless steel appliances.
5. Milk house light fixtures were reclaimed from a barn to accentuate the modern rustic charm.
6. The existing concrete floor was cleaned, prepped and stained in warm tones.
7. With budget in mind, laminate was selected for the countertop material, but the sink was upgraded to a Karran undermount sink for easy maintenance and a clean appearance.