Farm Refresh: A Masterful Barn Conversion in Blue Bell

Yes, this is a barn. All photos by Jeffrey Totaro

“There isn’t really any playbook for a barn conversion,” says Mark Hallowell, owner of Hallowell Construction. So when a Blue Bell family decided to renovate the barn on their property — once owned by the wife’s great-grandfather — both skill and a strong vision were required to pull it off.

The family first turned to architect Daniela Holt Voith, principal of Voith & Mactavish Architects, who convinced them to think beyond their original plans for an entertaining space and a guesthouse. “If you’re going to go through all of that trouble,” she told them, “you’re going to want to live there.” Voith’s design hinged on using the barn’s original timber framing, promoting upward openness, and creating comfortable living spaces.

Hallowell and his son Alex expertly meshed new materials with the old structure, blowing out the entire southern wall for what the homeowners call “a valley of glass” that overlooks their verdant surroundings. Outside, landscape designer Victoria Steiger was inspired by her nostalgia for farm landscapes, reimagining a former paddock into a walled-off garden with lush plantings, a heated spa and a custom outdoor fireplace.

Learn more about the home by clicking through the gallery. All photos taken by Jeffrey Totaro.

Habitat: Farm Refresh

As the elder Hallowell says, “Essentially, a barn is a barn and a house is a house. To make a barn into a house is a really cool thing to do because the space is so nice.”

The Pennsylvania flagstone patio is highlighted by a heated spa with an infinity edge that doubles as a water feature for the meadow-inspired garden.

The three-car garage is connected to the home by a terraced pathway that doubles as a rain garden. Steiger says colors here peak in the fall, with reds, russets and beiges. Plantings include chokeberry, inkberry, Virginia sweetspire, switchgrass and thread-leaf bluestar.

With dark metals, rich wood grains and the original stone wall of the barn, the staircase is a shining example of the rustic yet contemporary aesthetic seen throughout the home.

A series of bridges connects the rooms and promotes the upward openness that was vital in Voith’s design.

Made larger by the multi-story window wall that overlooks the patio and garden, the dining room can easily handle big family gatherings. Custom table by Jim Arthur of Arthur Works; chairs from Thos. Moser in Wayne.

• Check out previous Habitat coverage [Property]