Former Dairy Barn in Massachusetts Transformed Into Modern Mansion

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A converted dairy barn for sale in rural Massachusetts for $925,000 could have many modern design applications for its next owner.

Located in the tiny town of Sterling in the center of the state, the home is ready for someone to take advantage of its many walls.

“This is a stunning canvas to display art,” says listing agent Kevin Balboni.

The homeowners, who are moving to Colorado, did just that with their own art collection. After purchasing the home in 2004, the couple moved in during the fall of 2007 after completing a three-year renovation.

Interior

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Designed by Isamu Kanda of the Boston architecture firm I-Kanda Architects, the four-bedroom, 4.5-bath home measures a generous 5,550 square feet.

The property’s first chapter was as a horse barn, then in 1832 it was developed into a dairy farm with cattle. Later it became a chair-making mill. Because the barn had sat empty for some time after its tenure as a horse-breeding farm during the 1960s, extensive work was needed to make it habitable.

The home’s outdoor living room

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Kitchen

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One of the bathrooms

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Another bathroom

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Another bathroom

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Walk-in closet

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What’s unique about the design is that this home has only one interior door, which, when paired with 30-foot ceilings, provides a real sense of airiness. During the construction, Colonial Barn Restoration—a firm that specializes in reimagining salvaged barn wood—preserved exposed hand-hewn beams that date to the Civil War.

“They essentially saved all of the timbers from the original structure and built a house around it,” says Balboni. “It’s amazing they were able to save these beautiful pine and chestnut timbers.”

Other improvements include radiant heating throughout and new cork flooring on the second floor (all of the other floors are concrete).

Adding windows here and there brought in more natural light. The great room with a see-through fireplace is a cozy place come winter. A wide door—with glass panels on each side—leads to an outdoor living room to enjoy during summer months. In the kitchen, top-of-the-line appliances will appease foodies and prolific entertainers. Bathrooms resembling spas also edge the property into modern times. Another luxurious perk is the walk-in closet, which is a veritable showroom.

Located about an hour’s drive from Boston, “this (kind of property) is just not the norm for Sterling,” says Balboni, who had to go into the Berkshires to research comps. “If it were closer to Boston, the value would be more and it would also be easier to sell. This is an outlier to be in a town such as Sterling.”

Still, Balboni has fielded a few buyers. “The very first offer came in from a woman who does work in Boston. She was willing to make the commute.” For this cool converted barn, a long commute may be a small price to pay.

The post Former Dairy Barn in Massachusetts Transformed Into Modern Mansion appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

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