Old Barns - New Homes: A Showcase of Architectural Conversions

I was enchanted with this fascinating book on barn conversions. Barns are great relics from our past, conveying a sense of history, but many have been ruined by weather, time, and neglect. I didn't realize how many creative architects and owners have made barns useful for both residential and commercial use through renovation and restoration. The intrinsic character of these old barns brings an integrity and charm rarely seen in new construction. In many gorgeous illustrations, Rooney describes the history of barns, their adornment (who knew that it was all because of a 9th century pope that there are so many roosters on weathervanes?), and their use as gorgeous residences and fascinating commercial and establishments - including an architectural office, inns, and even a funeral chapel. One entrepreneur even used several to develop an office complex. If you love barns and if you like to see the past preserved in the present, you will love this book.

I must confess that I have always harbored a deep love of barns; maybe it simply out of a longing for a simpler time, and all that farms and their barns represent, or maybe because I am a habitual packrat and I'd love to have all that storage! Regardless of the reason, when I saw this book as soon-to-be-released, I got in touch with the publisher and was able to see an advance copy. The photographs took my breath away, and the wide array of barns and geographical regions of the USA that it showcased really drove home that these historic buildings not only need to be preserved, but that in doing so, we can truly enrich our architectural lexicon. It features every kind of barn known to man, from round barns and dairy barns to onion and tobacco barns, all of which have been loving reclaimed and restored into warm and inviting spaces for a new generation. This book should not only graxe your coffee table, it should be read cover to cover by anybody with a love for historic structures and Americana.