One of my closest friends here in Munich has moved back to her native England and is in the process of buying a beautiful converted barn in a quaint village outside of London.
This style of house is such a unique blend of rustic and modern that it has piqued my curiosity about the design potential. I grew up around barns, so this is kind of a revival for me. It's gotten me thinking of barns in a whole new way - they have soaring ceilings, wooden beams and rustic accents - things that many of us strive to re-create in a new home and yet in this case they are the real thing.
Let's take a look at the way the oh-so-humble barn has inspired current design:
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| via Cozy Bliss Blog |
The detailing on these doors is amazing!
Whoever stumbled upon these at a rusty estate sale somewhere must have been thrilled!
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| narratives.co.uk |
High ceilings give the renovated spaces some modern edge, and provide lots of possibilities for shelving or lofty hideaways...
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| Ina Garten's Home |
It's a stretch to call this a barn but it has a similar feel and this space is an all-time favorite of mine because of its casual elegance.
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| via Cote de Texas Blog |
A stylish way to hide the pantry and the shelves are a great way to use the wall space that needs to remain flush for the door.
Perfect for a climate like Arizona that can accomodate indoor/outdoor living on a regular basis.
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| Attic Magazine |
That's a lot of wood. It might work in some rustic settings though...
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| Dallas Doors |
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| lovetoescape.co.uk |
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| Halle Berry's Barn in Canada, via Home Bunch |
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| ffffound_com |
An industrial version...
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| Northwest Hospitality |
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| Architectural Digest |
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| Design Sponge |
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| My Home Ideas |
A clever office!
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| Living Etc. |
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| Emmas Design Blog |
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| Elle Decor |
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| Atlanta Homes Magazine |
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| Decorpad |
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| HGTV |
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| Birch and Bird |
I have to close by telling you that my uncle converted a barn in Westchester County, Pennsylvania over thirty years ago, and it is really stunning. The main house has soaring ceilings and beautiful verandas with views over the rolling hills. The guest house was once the carriage house, so it oozes charm and character all over the place.
I guess he was a man way ahead of his time!
What do you think of barn inspired design?
If you like it, where would you use it?
