The barn-style barn house project was a conversion of an old barn to a modern living space for guests and activities. The cabin’s existing building envelope was required to accommodate an apartment, a workroom/kitchen and bathrooms, as well as a bunkroom. SHED Architecture & Design in Seattle both designed and built the modern barn project, often living on the building site for extended periods. The client and SHED Architecture & Design were familiar with the building site, the building, and the client. This allowed for refinements to the building plans.

The barn’s existing envelope was used as a guideline by the designers to give each space its own character. This was done through natural light and orientation to the surrounding landscape. This modern barn was designed with two main design elements. The first was the creation of a utility passage-thru, which separates the bunkroom from its main workspace. Then, the entry connecting the apartment to the office was created. The secondary design improvements include the additions of skylights, dormers, and bay windows that shaped the relationship between the interior spaces of the barn and the pastoral landscape.

Each space was created using a minimal palette and limited color. The majority of the existing barn building materials were reused. Reusing the original barn siding was used for the interior paneling. We also re-milled the floor joists from the salvaged barn for the stair material, countertops, trim, and countertops. The barn-style house was then turned outside in, and then wrapped in cedar board and batten exterior. This would allow it to weather and age well. To create something unique and practical, the emphasis was on durability and directness in the design solutions.

Sustainability. The barn-style house used salvaged cedar siding as interior walls. The barn house also uses salvaged wood beams for the benches, and countertops. Salvaged plumbing fixtures were reused and custom fabricated steel details and doors were created.

Barns have existed for hundreds of years. American farmers have used barns to store their harvest and shelter their animals throughout American history. There are many barn styles available in the United States. Each style is appropriate for the area where it is located. Particularly if the barn is an old barn, it must be designed to suit the climate and cultural traditions of the area. A steeply sloping roof is a good choice for areas with heavy snowfall, as the weight of the snow can cause a barn to collapse. These peaks are only able to capture heat in the hotter and more humid South regions. While the barn will still have a slope that sheds rain and snow, the barn will be more open to ventilation thanks to the addition of monitor barns. They allow breeze to pass from the floor to the ceiling through the monitor’s vents.