Real-Life Makeover: A Barn Home with Modern Flair

The renovation of Erin and Adam McIntyre's country home was two years in the making. They added a new tin roof, siding, and sliding shutters to create the modern barn exterior. Inside, the living room became the kitchen and dining room. They also added a master suite and upstairs bedroom, and replaced the windows, plumbing, and electrical wiring. The final result is a home that is perfect for their young family.

This 1,570-square-foot chalet-style house sat on 11 acres of land that were too good to pass up. After five years of renovating a 100-year old home in Louisville, the McIntyres decided to start the renovation process all over again 35 minutes away.

When the couple found out they were going to have triplets in the middle of the planning process, they had to completely redesign to accommodate their new family. On the first floor, the living room became the kitchen and dining room. The old kitchen became the master suite. They added an entry and a family room.

The exposed beams throughout the kitchen and dining room continue the rustic feel from the barn-like exterior. The L-shaped cabinets separate the two rooms, while allowing an open view to the other rooms. This layout is great for keeping an eye on the kids or staying connected to the party while entertaining.

In the kitchen, they mixed cement with a pigment before casting to give the sink and countertops a burnished leather look. Concrete countertops are a popular choice because they can by customized to the shape and color of any kitchen. They are also heat- and scratch-resistant. Along the ceiling, hanging iron light fixtures spotlight the various work stations.

They kept the L-shaped configuration of the original kitchen, but removed the upper cabinets to open up the space. Adding an island created additional work space and storage in the kitchen.

The exposed beams and wood floor flow from the kitchen to the dining room. This space was the living room in the original layout. The beam doorway separates the family room from the dining room without interrupting the visual path between the rooms.

The McIntyres added a family room to replace the two-story living room that was converted into the kitchen. The addition is angled 10 degrees for better views of the land and for architectural interest. Tie rods across the ceiling offer structural support and add visual interest.

Before, the living room was two stories and included features such as the fireplace (shown) and a wet bar. They replaced the carpet with hardwood floors, which is more durable for three toddlers, two dogs, and a cat.

The couple replaced all the windows throughout the home, including an entire wall of floor-to-ceiling windows in the family room. These windows bring in lots of light, helping to lower energy costs because the extra sunlight reduces heating needs in winter months. The molding around the windows adds architectural detail to the home.

The master suite took the place of the original kitchen. Luckily, the old kitchen plumbing could become the new bathroom plumbing. Carpet was replaced with wood flooring. This space is special for the McIntyres because it served as the living, eating, entertaining, and sleeping space for the family of five during the last year of construction.

In addition to the family room, Erin and Adam also added a silo that serves as the entrance, library, and sitting room. The circular shape of the silo and the stone work play an integral part in giving the home's exterior its barnlike appearance. Another unique feature of this room are the rungs that lead to the upstairs office.

For the second floor, the McIntyres converted the open space from the old two-story living room into an office and third bedroom. The dormers were punched out to add more space to the bedrooms and bathroom.

The existing bedrooms became the boys' room. The couple knocked down the wall separating the two rooms to open the space, but left the door jamb so they can easily add a door later.

Punching out the dormer created room for a second sink in the upstairs bathroom. Erin and Adam added a built-in cabinet and monogrammed the drawers with the children's initials for personalized storage. The area under each sink is open allowing room for baskets or other storage containers.