Barn Living

Don't let the title fool you.  We are not talking about living in just any old barn, much as I love most old barns, but a barn refurbished for modern-day living - such a barn would be right in the running for one of my fantasy houses.  Now, where would I place my barn home?  Belgium would be good but difficult to access, Maine would be perfect, even the Finger Lakes of New York would work as we see it does in today's post.

First, this simple barn would work beautifully with Belgian furnishings and colors but it lacks a fireplace - an essential for my barn home.

Love the barn below and its New England or Pennsylvania feel - the siding speaks of New England, but the stone foundation looks like Pennsylvania.  Still no requisite fireplace.

Love the barn doors in this home.  Barn doors would work anywhere for me.  Wish I could incorporate one into my present home, but they remain a fantasy.

Even without a fireplace, this barn wins my heart.  I think it must be the landscaping and that concrete sphere that speak of spring and warmer climes.

Chose this one for its barn doors hiding the TV and for its fireplace below.

More barn doors - obviously am a real sucker for these.

Here, the beams, the stone work and the steel all speak to me.

The beams, the view, and the LaCornue make a great barnhouse kitchen. 

Speaking of views, here is a barn nestled in New York's Finger Lakes area.  This lake is just a few miles from the one where I live so you are in for some hometown images.

This is the wine area of New York state - hence the vineyards surrounding the barn.

As we get closer, note the chimney and barn doors.

Driveway approaching home.

We're here.

Outside sitting area overlooking vineyard and lake.  Don't you love potted boxwood just anywhere?

Dining alfresco...

with a view - the kind we all relish here in the Finger Lakes.  (Today, you'd only see a thawing lake and snow.)

To the inside where all my prerequisites abound - beams, a fireplace, barn doors.

Kitchen with its view.

Kitchen's eating area.

From kitchen to main dining area and great room.

View of second floor.

More great room.

Great view of the barn's structure.

View from second floor.

Stairways both up...

and down.

Lower bath with reclaimed wood surround and a half hull on the wall.

Great view from master bedroom.

All the above images of this property were taken from Sotheby's website and were found while researching this barn conversion.  (I feel a bit like Joni Webb here.)  But the images which follow were taken from Martha Stewart Living where I first saw this home in an October issue.  I happily happened upon Sotheby's images in my search for Martha's October issue.

Tom Johnson, the designer who found and reinvented this barn.

I fell in love with it when I first saw the autumnal table with the blazing fire in background.  At this point the barn was not for sale.

So autumnal.  Was planning on saving this renovation for an autumn post, but thought it had to go with today's barn theme.

A sweet detail Sotheby's never included.

View of the bath, Sotheby's never included.

And Tom Johnson's barn in the autumn.  Sotheby's showed in the summer.

When starting today's post, I was not aware the barn was for sale and today probably has been sold.  I never would have sold it especially because it resides in a part of my hometown area, has such a great view, barn doors, and fireplace.  Mr. Johnson has perhaps moved on to a new and more exciting project.  

I would like to make clear that my first eight images above were gleaned from Pinterest and I would give credit to each of the pinners if I had saved that information.  Their images were used without permission but with great appreciation.  What would we do without Pinterest and Tumblr?

Could you live in a restored barn?  I could - definitely rates as one of my fantasy houses.  Next time, I hope to  have a sweet surprise for you, but I may not get permission so keep your fingers crossed. 

 Till then, keep warm, and happy spring.

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