02/27/2024

From a dilapidated barn to a showstopper farmhouse

A drive past a cornfield led Michael and Nea Poole to turn an old barn into a one-of-a-kind home.

Michael and Nea Poole of Poole & Poole Architecture didn't know their drive past a picturesque cornfield would lead to a building project of their own. Right by the road was an old barn. "Oh my gosh this is the coolest barn I've ever seen," Nea recalls saying. As they got a little closer, they noticed a 'for sale' sign.

It wasn't until Michael was wandering through their office that Nea informed him, "Oh, we own a barn now." Then it was time to get to work on a transformation.


The couple knew they wanted to take into account the existing barn structure, but also wanted to create a home that felt new. They settled on a “barn industrial” theme.

They partnered with a builder they knew could help bring their vision to life, Scott Smith, founder of Portico Classic Homes in Richmond, Virginia. The Pooles knew they wanted to bring a lot of light into the home, but also have a specific exterior aesthetic.

With the barn also comes breathtaking views of the countryside. “You want to be able to walk through [the home] and see all of that,” Michael says. “That’s why we have all of these windows off the back.”

 

Also, on the back of the home, are two 16-foot garage doors. But the Pooles were looking for symmetry. So, Scott worked with JELD-WEN to create doors that matched, both in size and aesthetic, to bring that beautiful, symmetric look to the home. “If you’re at the back end of the yard and looking at the house, you cannot tell that one side is actually sliding glass doors and one side is garage doors,” Nea says.

Originally, the barn had two large barndoor openings to bring hay in and out. “We were able to get custom French doors with side lights that are really quite beautiful,” Nea says.

In total, the home has 96 windows making up about 40% of the exterior. And the Pooles enjoy showing off those windows to their clients. “When clients ask us [about windows], we do have them out [to our home],” Nea says. “We are proud of our house.”