The Restoration of a 19th-Century Barn
By Margaret Gilmour
By taking their time and creating a ten-year renovation plan, these homeowners overhauled a 1860s barn they now call home. Details include a geothermal system, radiant flooring and making use of architectural details they happened upon during rehab, or collected over the years.
If you’ve dreamed of living in a barn-turned-house, here’s a little inspiration from Kennett Square residents Traci and Bruce Jameson.
The couple says it was the description of the property that lured them to the old barn back in 1998. They had no idea the outbuilding was the part of the original Bayard Taylor estate.
The paper read: “For Sale: Barn home with stable yard and a secret garden.”
The Jameson’s had been searching over two years for an old house to restore, and as soon as they pulled into the driveway, they knew they’d found their project. They discovered the secret garden around back in the paddock. It had potential.
“We knew we could move in and live in it while we did the work,” Bruce Jameson says. “I calculated it would take about ten years to complete.”
It turns out, he was dead on.
It’s hard to believe that when the two moved in with their young children a decade ago that the previous owners had transformed the three-level, 1860s barn to a ‘60s contemporary. Details included wall-to-wall carpeting throughout, grid-less aluminum frame windows and one skinny metal front door painted turquoise. It was hardly a dream house then, but the two knew it could be in time.
With the goal of reverting the structure back to a barn, the Jameson’s started their rehab by hiring Pennland Contractors.
Bruce took on role of General Manager. Traci, with her background in graphic arts and design, became interior designer. Though this was their first remodel together, both grew up in old houses with families that took to restoring and repairing without question.
So they were well prepared, and they knew to proceed at brake speed.
“We weren’t independently wealthy. We needed to plan and save,” Bruce says. “We planned every detail out from the second we bought the house.” (more…)
Green of A Different Color
By Margaret Gilmour
We love how the serene landscape is carried indoors with light-filled rooms and how bold colors add subtle flair to green interior design. A farm-like setting provides the ideal backdrop for this family’s eco-friendly ideals.
