What is a Barndominium? Modern Living with Rustic Charm

Barndominiums, sometimes shortened to "barndos," started trending in the Southern United States in the 2010s. Now, as homebuyers and contractors grow accustomed to the concept, these homes are spreading across the U.S. 

Usually, barndominiums are rectangular, barn-style buildings with residential floor plans. These homes utilize rural architectural elements, such as metal siding and timber framing to achieve a backcountry look. Yet, the appeal of barndominiums goes beyond aesthetics with quick construction times and open, customizable layouts.

From barn-to-home conversions to new construction, barndominiums offer a plethora of options to homebuyers. To help you understand what makes a barndominium, the team at Prevu Real Estate will explore the specific characteristics of these rustic homes and show you where to buy them. 

What is a Barndominium? 

Barndominiums only gained status as a well-known home style in the early 2000s. Before then, large metal buildings were typically limited to commercial or agricultural use. 

Now, when builders and homebuyers use the word "barndominium," they refer to oversized metal buildings resembling barns or warehouses. However, barndo interiors blend folksy charm with modern amenities to create a liveable space. This mixture allows homeowners to experience life at a slower pace while maintaining their everyday comforts. 

Most commonly, these homes have simple rectangular footprints and A-frame roofs. Because they're built with industrial-grade frames, barndominiums typically require no load-bearing walls in the center. Instead, the home’s living quarters are constructed beneath a durable shell, shielded from the elements. The combination of these factors forms highly customizable homes at an affordable price point in a peaceful setting. 

Barndos often feature a great room that blends an open-concept kitchen and a living area. To maximize a sense of grandeur, these homes draw attention to exposed ceiling beams with hanging light fixtures or chandeliers. High walls also make garage-style doors and sliding barn doors a popular design choice. Likewise, giant windows and skylights flood the home with natural light, fostering a connection with nature. 

What are the key features of Barndominiums? 

Barndo exteriors embrace the beauty of raw materials by showcasing metal siding, steel I-beams, rough-hewn lumber, stonework, and engineered timber framing. Metal roofs and siding are usually clad with matching corrugated steel sheets to promote easy construction and achieve an agrarian style. 

Due to their large footprints, these homes are commonly built on large lots in the countryside. To maintain simplicity, the home's concrete foundation can be extended from one end or side of the house. The corresponding gable or roofline is continued over a concrete pad, creating a covered outdoor living space. 

Unlike traditional houses, the entire weight of barndominium roofing systems is supported by the exterior walls. Thus, interiors offer homeowners a blank canvas to create floor plans with private rooms anywhere they choose. 

As a result, private rooms are consolidated together to streamline the construction of interior walls. Generally, bedrooms, bathrooms, and closets function like a conventional home. The same type of stick framing used in suburban houses encloses private quarters in wooden studs, insulation, and sheetrock. While these 2x4 studs aren’t exposed to outdoor elements, this lumber facilitates the installation of HVAC, electrical, and plumbing. This way, barndominiums focus the majority of necessary systems in one area while preserving an open floor plan in the main room.  

Combined dining and social areas are stylized with unrefined materials like hardwood flooring, iron fixtures, reclaimed lumber, and stone accent walls or fireplaces. Rather than depending on lavish decorations, barndominiums implement roll-up glass doors, windows, and sliding doors that showcase the surrounding landscape. These glass partitions often flow seamlessly into alfresco kitchens and open-air seating areas to facilitate outdoor connectivity.  

What is the history of the Barndominium?

For thousands of years, people have occasionally lived in housebarns to care for crops and livestock. A perfect example is the Austrian Bregenzerwälderhaus, dating back to the 17th century. These homes allowed Austrian farmers to sleep and conduct farmwork in one space, which was particularly helpful during wintertime. 

Fast forward to the 1980s, and you'll find the first recorded use of the phrase "barndominium." Real estate developer Karl Nilsen imagined a property where equestrians could collectively purchase land for boarding horses and building homes. Nilsen's dream of communal ownership was structured like a condo association, explaining the portmanteau that combined "barn" and "condominium." 

In 2016, the term "barndominium" was reappropriated by the HGTV show Fixer-Upper when Chip and Joanna Gaines transformed a barn into a home. Since then, the home-style spread rapidly, gaining such popularity that builders began constructing new barndominiums and creating barndo kits to meet customer demand. 

As advancements in building technology make sheet metal, steel frames, and foam insulation more accessible to everyday buyers, barndominiums become more common. 

What are the different varieties of Barndominiums?

There are two primary categories of barndominiums: former barns converted into homes and new construction barndominiums.  

Three common methods are used for constructing the home's frame. The oldest method, found in barndominium conversions, is post-and-beam framing. This method utilizes classic log cabin construction where full-size timbers are fitted together with old-fashioned joinery.

An updated method of framing known as timber framing is similar to post-and-beam but uses engineered wooden beams. Unlike rough-hewn lumber, engineered beams are manufactured with a higher strength-to-weight ratio, allowing them to stretch long distances safely. 

Finally, metal barndominium frames are often made from steel I-beams. Like engineered timber, steel I-beams offer durability and strength. Both engineered wooden beams and I-beams are fastened with prefabricated steel brackets, speeding up the construction process and making them long-lasting.  

Barndominiums are relatively new, and developers regularly create new innovations. This can be seen in variations of roofing styles, including A-frame roofs, Gambrel roofs, and dormer windows. Similarly, adding upper floors, loft spaces, and integrating luxury amenities is becoming more commonplace. In reality, versatile customization is exactly what makes barndominiums appealing to buyers. 

Where can you find Barndominiums?

Barndominiums require large plots of land, meaning they're typically located in rural areas or built on the outskirts of cities. 

Because wood is preserved more easily in dry climates, converted barns are more numerous out west. In Colorado, Texas, Arizona, California, and Washington, you're more likely to see original post-and-beam barndos. 

Pros and cons come with building any home, but prefabricated barndominium kits can help buyers simultaneously satisfy local building codes and lower barndominium costs. As demands increase for new barndominiums, Tennessee, Virginia, Florida, and Georgia are starting to feature these countryside homes. These southern and eastern regions tend to have humid climates, making engineered wood and steel frames more viable options.