Outfitting old barns with hyper-modern design is a remodel favorite among wealthy Northeasterners. Let's face it, the tiny Long Island enclave known as the Hamptons would probably spontaneously combust if it weren't for an abundance of these sorts of homes. But elsewhere are more stunning examples of this design juxtaposition.
Exhibit A: this Netherlands dwelling, above. The design firm SeARCH (or stedenbouw en architectuur) created a sweeping domain with a glass atrium sandwiched between yards of timber paneling. The villa blends the old and the new and the indoors and out just as it seamlessly melds the rustic with the urban.
? With a red-and-white exterior and sliding barn-door windows, this home on the Potomac River would be cloyingly idyllic if the folks at Blackburn Architects hadn't included a floor-to-ceiling glass facade. Seems the openness created by the glass wall and high ceilings beg for a spectacular soirees.
? In Norfolk, England, here's an the edgy, "Stealth Barn" as it's described by Carl Turner Architects, with a "sharp black mass– a shadow of the adjacent barn." The interior emotes a similarly stark and contemporary vibe, with walls, ceilings, and floors covered in oriented strand board.
? The extension of Hunsett Mill, also in Norfolk, was designed by the firm ACME to be a large space that opens up the living areas of the original millhouse. Modern features include dark-oak floors, huge windows, and a general lack of adornment. Bonus: according to Remodelista, it's for rent.
? For the mayor of Vacallo, Switzerland, architect Matteo Inches gutted an old storage barn. Because Swiss laws prohibit major structural changes, opening up the six floors—each less than 400 square feet— relied on streamlined decor.
? The Oast House, designed by Duggan Morris Architects, in East Sussex, England, is another elegant intermingling of two eras. The long, vertical lines of the sunken annex have a precision and sleekness that complement the "rough sawn" horizontal cladding of the older historic building.
· Modern Family: A Livestock Barn Transformed [Remodelista]
· New River Bank Barn [Blackburn Architects]
· Stealth Barn by Carl Turner Architects [Dezeen]
· An Ancient Mill Transformed in Norfolk [Remodelista]
· RIBA Manser Medal 2012 Shortlist for Best New House [Bustler]
· Casa Rizza by Studio Inches [Dezeen]
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