SHED Builds a Barn

A breathtaking barn transformation is born from creative reuse.

Here is a dose of design arithmetic to swirl in your brain. One barn, plus one shed, equals design perfection, especially when you factor in scenic Seattle. SHED Architecture & Design designed the transformation of an antique barn into a modern living space (complete with luxuries like guest quarters).

SHED is a hands-on firm that literally built this project and cradled it through a breathtaking renovation. The dedicated design team even lived on-site, allowing practical inspiration to organically fill their design calculators.

The adaptive reuse of the original barn provided a living space, kitchen, upstairs apartment, lofted bedroom, and bunk room. The exterior shell was punctuated with windows and skylights to absorb every ray of sunshine and capitalize on the scenic wonder of Whidbey Island.

The original external perimeter was maintained and the previous exterior siding was brought inside to envelop interior walls while the exterior was wrapped with new cedar to age gracefully. The interior is bursting with natural materials and a calm palette including original floor joists that were salvaged and carved into stairs, trim, and countertops.

The intricate barn doors throughout this project are a beautiful mixture of traditional elements with modern creativity.

One of SHED’s design principles is embodied perfectly in this project, “Design solutions are more than the sum of their parts.”

If you love the charisma of a barn renovation, drool over this artist’s studio.

Images: Freshome