A Barn From the 1700s Gets Rebuilt as the Calistoga Barn House
It's pretty incredible to see any building or home restored, especially a historical building like this barn that was originally built way back in 1780 in Albany, New York. That makes this barn almost 240 years old which is pretty amazing. It just goes to show how strong and durable wood is and that the building techniques used by builders back then were second to none. Even though the barn didn't stay in its original location, Heritage Restorations was able to disassemble it and then transport it to Calistoga, California where it was rebuilt into the gorgeous home you see here. The overall dimensions of the barn home are 30 feet by 40 feet making for a total of 1,200 square feet.
A Barn From the 1700s Gets Rebuilt as the Calistoga Barn House
The builders had to lift the entire frame of the building with a crane to set it on its foundation, and then once the posts and beams were in place, they could seal up the building and add insulation to make it a finished home. They were able to use a lot of the materials from the original barn which keeps so much of the history of the United States alive. They used the unique antique cupola from the original barn and placed it on the roof of the new barn home for a great feature. The exterior of the barn home is clad in wood siding that is left natural with a protective seal on it. This gives the home the modern appeal it needs without sacrificing the original charm and character of the building.
A Barn From the 1700s Gets Rebuilt as the Calistoga Barn House
The front of the home features a nice covered patio and entrance way which leads into the house. On the back of the house is a screened in porch or sunroom which would be perfect to sit in rain or shine. Inside, the home is open and airy with high ceilings and an open concept floor plan. They incorporated some wood panelling and painted it white which adds a fresh element to the decor. The original barn's posts and beams are beautifully showcased in the home bringing those rustic and natural elements into the design.
A Barn From the 1700s Gets Rebuilt as the Calistoga Barn House
These older elements add so much character to the home and allow people to think of the story that must go along with these 240-year-old pieces of wood. For the furniture, they included a lot of antique furniture which fits right into the design of the home, and they kept with a darker tone of wood for most of it mixed with some floral fabrics and woven rugs. What makes this home so beautiful and bright are all of the windows that have been included in the design. They really open the home up to the beautiful surrounding property and bring in so much natural light throughout the day. The main floor of the barn home has the living room, dining area and a kitchen; then the upper level is a loft space perfect for sleeping.
A Barn From the 1700s Gets Rebuilt as the Calistoga Barn House
This home could make the perfect guest home or rental suite, but it could also be a great full-time home or cottage too. Building a barn home this way keeps so much of the history intact which is so wonderful. It's great that Heritage Restorations goes to the lengths they go to in order to obtain all of these amazing materials to build these beautiful barn homes. Of course, there also is always the option of building a barn home brand new from scratch, but they don't have the same feel as a barn home build with reclaimed materials or a remodelled barn built out of a 100-year-old barn. This is a great example of what can be done with older wooden structures.