From Gritty to Pretty! You Won’t Believe the Befores of This Stunning Space
See how a young family saved a dilapidated barn by transforming it into the ultimate backyard retreat.
When house fever and baby fever struck then-Brooklynite Petra Ivanov in 2010, not just any run-of-the-mill home in the suburbs was going to do. “We’re European and prefer old and weathered to shiny and new,” says her husband, Andrej.
Enter frequent late-night searches on oldhouses.com, where Petra ultimately turned up “the one”: a circa-1730s home with original stone-and-plaster walls and wonderfully weathered wood-plank floors. Located in Long Valley, New Jersey, the property was once a working dairy farm, so it came with a barn and 20 acres of grassy green fields. “I grew up in the country on a big farm in the Czech Republic, and I wanted my kids to grow up in a similar way, at a slower pace than city life,” she says. As magical as the rolling hills and old home were, Petra and Andrej had to reckon with the fact that it was also a serious undertaking.
After tackling the update of the stone house, they turned their attention to the property's "destined for the wrecking ball" centuries-old dairy barn. “It was in such bad shape, it wasn’t even safe for us to step inside when we first purchased the property,” says Andrej. “It was a disaster!” adds Petra. Keep reading to see the amazing results.
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Before: Barn Exterior
After: Barn Exterior
On the exterior, they gave the outbuilding a fresh, new look, swapping out the traditional red-painted exterior for Scandinavian-inspired cedar paneling. “We like the natural look, but it was also a practical decision because cedar can take the abuse of the weather,” explains Andrej. Other modern updates: a metal roof and the addition of numerous steel windows to provide the barn with sleek walls of glass.
Before: Barn Interior
After: Great Room with Loft
To tackle the complete barn restoration, the couple teamed up with an Amish construction crew from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, that specializes in barn restorations. “Elam Stoltfuzs and his team took the barn down to the rafters and studs and helped us preserve the original footprint and stabilize the structure,” says Petra. Inside, the hayloft was removed and the space was completely reimagined to include a living room with soaring 25-foot ceilings!
After: Great Room
While Petra and Andrej were able to salvage the barn’s original knotty beams, the walls and floors in the soaring 25-foot-high structure needed to be replaced. Simple poplar planks (all painted Alabaster by Sherwin-Williams) got the job done affordably. A new cast-iron pellet stove warms the space with an authentic look. A venting pipe wasn’t necessary, but the couple still chose to install a faux one to add a graphic, modern look to the room. The cozy living space is furnished with a pair of vintage French arm chairs and deconstructed-style sofa.
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After: Kitchenette
The barn’s tiny kitchenette (it measures a mere 9’ long by 5’ feet wide) contains petite versions of cook space standards. From the narrow island and the slim open shelf to compact apron-front sink to the small expanse of backsplash, it’s a case-study in scaled-down essentials. The space gets a heaping helping of charm by way of the “Mashed Potatoes Always Ready” sign, one of Petra’s most-prized finds from the Brimfield antiques shows.
After: Pottery Studio
Petra, a skilled potter specializing in paper-white pitchers and mugs (@potterybypetra), carved out a portion of the renovated barn as her work space.
After: Pottery Studio
A motley crew of upcycled light fixtures—pieced together from a mismatch of antique lighting parts—provides task lighting during evening work sessions.
After: Pottery Studio
Planned around the sunlight, Petra’s studio space features expansive steel windows, as well as glass doors that allow natural light to pour in from the neighboring living room.
Before: Barn
After: Outdoor Gathering Spot
At one end of the barn, a pea gravel "patio" with a cast-iron fire pit was created. It’s arguably everyone’s favorite “room” on the property. “We’re out here as many evenings as the weather allows,” says Andrej.
After: Saltwater Pool
The complete barn overhaul also gave way to the surrounding grounds and a new saltwater plunge pool. “The barn’s original L-shape footprint, which we preserved, screamed for a little pool,” says Petra. “With our two young children, Filip and Lilian [pictured], it was a no-brainer.”
See the complete renovation of the Ivanov’s stone house here.
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