Country Living editors select each product featured. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Why Trust Us?
Talk About Vision! This Tennessee Couple Transformed a Rickety Hayloft Into an Airy Modern Home
This dreamy converted barn brings new meaning to the term loft living.
While Tennessee empty nesters Karol Ann and Chris DeLong always planned to retire out in the country, it’s safe to say they probably never thought they would actually live in a barn. “We both grew up in small towns, so we had a desire to get out of Nashville and move into a small community where we could get involved,” says Chris. “We started taking Sunday drives, trying to find just the right spot.” One Sunday, the couple discovered tiny Santa Fe, Tennessee (population: 300), and a few days later, they found themselves in a bidding war at an auction for a bucolic 83-acre property, complete with an old farmhouse, a smokehouse, a chicken coop, and a rickety barn. “There were probably 100 people there, but we got it,” he says.
Karol Ann immediately called in Nashville-based designer Kendall Simmons, and they got to work on plans for a top-to-bottom farmhouse renovation. Sadly, it was not to be. “We figured out pretty early on that it was just going to be a money pit,” says Karol Ann. But Chris accidentally stumbled on Plan B while clearing out the barn’s hayloft. “I was looking out this giant window, and I saw the sunset,” he says. “The next thing I know, I’m telling Karol Ann and Kendall that I had a vision, and I think we need to live on top of the barn.” To his surprise, no one laughed. “I immediately liked the idea. It was a way to historically connect to the land,” says Karol Ann. And to Kendall’s credit, she, too, was all in. “I climbed up some crazy ladder, came through a hole and, as soon as I saw the ceilings and the crosslight, I knew it was a no-brainer," she says.
Salvaged Wood
Once they made sure that it was structurally sound, cleanup and construction on the barn renovation began almost at once. Throughout the space, Kendall added one-of-a-kind touches with wood salvaged from the smokehouse and coops. And, while the barn’s original floors had to be replaced, even that wood didn’t go to waste. “You can’t have inch-and-a half-wide gaps in flooring, so we used it on the walls,” Kendall says.
Karol Ann found the lower level entryway's bench, a convenient spot to stash blankets or change shoes, at Stoney Lonesome Antiques in Spring Hill. The American flag that hangs above it is from Props Antiques in Leiper’s Fork, while the vintage quilts are from Stella Rubin Antiques.
A Wide Open Layout
Kendall pored over plans trying to figure out how to maximize the living space in a fixed footprint. "I had to fit a kitchen, bathroom, closet, and laundry, but I also didn't want to lose any of the symmetry of the gorgeous columns. It was a giant jigsaw puzzle," she says. Now, their open dining area perfectly showcases large windows with scenic views of their property.
Get the Look:
Wall Paint Color: Snowbound by Sherwin-Williams
Dining Chairs: Windsor Chair from Wayfair
Layers of Patina
The wood for the kitchen cabinets and hood came from the old chicken coops—yes, chicken coops!—on the property. “It was all thoroughly cleaned,” says Karol Ann. “There were people in here for weeks with wire toothbrushes, scrubbing away.” Lucite hardware and sleek subway tile offset the rustic elements, while white paint brightens up the space.
Get the Look:
Lucite Hardware: from LuxHoldups
Subway Tile: Park Slope from Home Depot
Vintage Rug: for similar, try Kaya Kilims
Rustic Open Shelving
Although the couple had to get ruthless when downsizing from more than 7,000 square feet to 1,400, Karol Ann couldn’t bear to part with her mother’s silver pieces. Now, they’re right at home on the reclaimed wood shelves alongside blue tumblers that inspired the paint color on several of the loft’s doors.
Get the Look:
Reclaimed Wood Shelves: for similar, try Pine Floating Shelves from West Elm
Vintage Silver: similar pieces available on eBay
Modern Furnishings
Barring the reclaimed beams, most of the items in the living space are on the newer side to complement the room’s wide-open floor plan. The custom light fixture is from Urban Chandy.
Get the Look:
Sofa: Cantor by Bernhardt
RELATED: Where to Buy Reclaimed Wood
Creative Storage
Because storage is at a premium—there are only two closets in the entire living space!—the couple decided to build custom extra-long bedside tables (also used as dressers) out of wood mined from the smokehouse. Brass hardware adds a modern edge.
Get the Look:
Brass Pulls: for similar, try Channing by Top Knobs
Colorful Details
All of the doors throughout the loft came from the old farmhouse. Here, a bright blue refreshes the living room's vintage door.
Get the Look:
Door Paint Color: Blue Chip by Sherwin-Williams
A Kick-Back Porch
Chris has spent more years than he can count rocking in the turquoise antique glider that belonged to his beloved grandmother. The couple added barrel tables from the Jack Daniel Distillery and book fair signage from 8th Avenue Antique Mall in Nashville to create a cozy and layered spot off the side.
Get the Look:
Vintage Glider: For similar, try the Retro Metal Glider from Grandin Road
Whisky Barrel Table: For similar, try MidwestBarrelCompany
See Even More Converted Barn Inspiration!
Love converted barns as much as we do? Check out this have to see it to believe ultimate party barn New Jersey, this transformed horse barn Airbnb outside of Nashville (yes, you can stay here!), and a stunning reclaimed post-and-beam Dutch barn in upstate New York.
9 Antique Finds for Laundry Room Decor
6 Dreamy Farmhouses for Sale Right Now
Tour a Vintage-Filled Farmhouse on a Wyoming Ranch
This Photographer Captures Home Through a New Lens
