Converting the Ohio barn into a new home involved stabilizing the dilapidated structure and picking it up (literally) to relocate to a different site. Blackburn explained, “Our goal was to salvage the beauty of the barn and retain its character and charm. We reused lumber where possible and played with the mix of traditional details and modern amenities.” Undertaking a barn repurposing isn’t for the faint of heart, but big dreams can yield even bigger rewards. Common issues to be aware of are: structural (is it safe? how’s the foundation?), is it Blackburn Architects transformed the bank barn into a sparkling
energy-efficient (you can bet it’s not — yet!) and water sealed
center for family and friends’ social gatherings. The firm has re-
(again — no way, no how), the pluses and minuses of such a
ceived multiple design awards for the restoration.
large, open space, and more. The challenge is often finding a
Another stunning example of a lovely old barn coming back to
way to adapt it to a new use without losing the character of the
life is in Ohio, where another bank barn became a guesthouse.
old barn but also doing it in a way that is sympathetic to its origi-
The project is so wildly popular on Pinterest that thousands have
nal function. When all is said and done, it needs to still look like
saved the photographs for a dreamed-of future project.
a barn.
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