Converting a shed into a living space. Summer season: how to transform a “house, barn and garden. Garden tool holders with long handles

Converting an old barn into a beautiful greenhouse

Redesigning the old barn was the main task of the designer Bob Trainor. Together with his wife, he decided to create a real architectural masterpiece on the site of a dilapidated building.

Initially, the dilapidated barn was just a garbage magnet. But the couple saw in it the potential to transform into something more interesting and functional by attaching a greenhouse to it.

This is how the unremarkable barn looked before the reconstruction

Today it is home to many beautiful plants.

The new greenhouse maintains warm and humid air throughout the winter. Here you can grow fresh herbs for cooking, winter-hardy plants, prepare seedlings in spring for planting and enjoy beautiful flowers all year round.

The appearance of the greenhouse

Weathered boards and vintage garden signs are an interesting and unique design element.

It's always summer inside the greenhouse

The process of long work of carpenters and architects has led to the creation of a charming building that is the highlight of the garden. Sliding French doors, a green tin roof with a superstructure turned the old barn into an architectural masterpiece.

The couple achieved amazing results!

Inside the renovated building there is a bright and cozy room with a hot tub, books and an antique corner - the pride of the owners. Here you can read, take water treatments and just enjoy the view of the beautiful garden.

Great place to stay in both winter and summer

Lamps made of terracotta pots give original lighting. The room also contains many antiques, such as the green cabinet on the right.

A French door separates the recreation room from the greenhouse

Garden view from hot tub

The window is decorated with original multi-colored stained-glass windows

The barn is always light and cozy

Inside the barn, even in winter, a wonderful oasis awaits the owners

Did you like the idea of ​​a married couple?

Categories:
Places: . . . .

So, you have become the owner of suburban real estate. On the acquired site, as a rule, there are residential or commercial buildings left over from the previous owners. Often their technical condition, appearance and location on the territory do not meet the requirements of the new owners. So I want to remake everything in a businesslike way, so that it is strong and beautiful, to your liking. Is it worth it to rush to dismantle old buildings and what subtleties you should pay attention to - the topic of this article.

“Dismantling cannot be rebuilt” - in life we ​​often encounter the problem of a correctly placed comma. Extra financial expenses, wasted strength and nerves, and other inconveniences may depend on a rash choice. Consider the possible consequences - positive and negative - of both options: the demolition of old buildings, and their alteration.

Break - do not build

Although the dismantling process also takes some time, it is much easier to break than to build. When the old is lost, it is no longer possible to return it if suddenly the circumstances or the opinion about the structure have changed: the demolished can only be replaced by a newly built one.

Before deciding what to do with the old buildings in the country - to demolish or rebuild, and even more so to grab a tool, answer yourself the question: why you want to change - break or rebuild- an old house or other building on your site?

Answer one: I want to demolish it, because I just don’t like the existing house

Perhaps you bought this plot because of its excellent location, because of the picturesque surroundings, it is convenient to get to the city from here, your relatives live nearby, or you had a thousand more reasons to choose this particular piece of land.

But you never liked the house itself, because it is an architectural freak, a dilapidated hut, or simply does not fit the site you have already chosen. Then, most likely, it is worth demolishing it and rebuilding the house of your dreams. Otherwise, an unsightly building will begin to spoil your life with its existence.

Second answer: they don’t like buildings, but there are economic reasons

So often, economic issues prevent us from living ... The reason for wanting to change the buildings on your site may be that you don’t really like the old house and outbuildings, the house is cramped for your family and it has an uncomfortable layout. However, you objectively believe that you do not have enough funds to build a new one.

A detailed analysis of this case and advice - demolish or redo - read below.

Answer three: I want to update, since this is my father's house

You grew up in this house and do not want to break it at all, but it is dilapidated and requires capital. In this case, perhaps you should give up the idea of ​​demolishing the old house: it is part of your family, your history, your memory. And memory is something that is worth the investment.

And if you even think a little about the fact that the old house is worth saving and redoing in order to prolong its life, it may well be that, if you decide to demolish it, you will later regret it.

Fourth answer: I want to update because I like the house

If you "fell in love" with this house at first sight, although the not very good technical condition of the building did not hide from you when buying, then you have only one way out - to redo it. After all, it was for the sake of this house that you made the purchase.

Answer five: I want to rebuild, but there are circumstances

For example, if your old house is gasified, then when it is dismantled and a new one is built, it will also be necessary to make a new one, which can significantly increase construction costs.

Most of the above refers to subjective reasons. Now let's try to look at things objectively. Each building, no matter how strong and well-built it is, has a service life, as the building structures lose their bearing capacity over time. To answer the question, demolish or redo country buildings, you will need to determine how much they have exhausted this resource.

The year of construction, of course, matters in assessing the condition of the house and other outbuildings, but the ancient structure is not always more dilapidated. Here, the quality factor of materials, construction technologies and the skill of builders come to the fore.

The less capital the building is, the more it suffers from inexorable time. Most likely, you will find various auxiliary buildings (variegated and sheds,) in a more deplorable state than the house itself.

What to pay attention to

Determining worth remake buildings in the country or better demolish, first of all, you need to pay attention not to how old-fashioned the wallpaper is in the house or the linoleum is worn, but to the strength of the structural elements. To get the most reliable information, you need to open the structures by removing the exterior trim and cladding.

• Foundation - the basis of the structure. Its strength is also important if you plan to simply renovate an old building. And if you decide to build another floor, - and even more so. It is possible to decide whether the old foundation is still strong enough for the construction of new additional structures after its examination with the help of special devices used by specialists in construction expertise. But to understand whether it is worth talking about the presence of a foundation in your house or only its remains in front of you, you can also visually. If the windows and doorways in the house are skewed, cracks pass through the walls or the foundation itself, this means that the foundation of the house has ceased to fulfill its functions.
• Walls - from the point of view of the strength of the structure, the condition is important bearing walls. Internal non-load-bearing partitions can be completely removed. The strength and safety of the walls depends on the materials and technology. For example, in an old log house, the lower crowns and parts of the walls around the window openings most often require replacement. The strength of the frame structure depends on the integrity of the frame.

• Its alteration is not the most important point in the cost of rebuilding a house. Covering the roof and even completely replacing its structure is the easiest stage of a major overhaul to implement. But whole, undamaged rafters will help save money.

By determining the wear and tear, you can decide what you will do with the house. Builders distinguish several types of work.

Repair

Repair is the restoration of the performance of the house. During the repair, coatings are updated, communications are partially replaced, that is, it is restored and slightly increased custom, but not structural building resource.

During the repair, structural elements of the building are not affected, only partial replacement of some nodes is possible. This is the most sparing (and from a financial point of view too) way of remodeling a house, relevant only if the structural elements of the building have not suffered from time and adverse operating conditions.

Repair - renewal of coatings

When undertaking repairs, it is worthwhile to understand that a building with intact structural elements may have degraded performance: for example, walls or ceilings have become unsatisfactory. Making only superficial changes may not be enough.

Overhaul

During the overhaul, not only decorative coatings are reworked. Building structures are being replaced or restored, engineering communications are changing.

At the same time, with the use of modern materials and technologies, the technical parameters of the building are not only restored, but also improved, and the moral (functional) obsolescence of the structure is eliminated.

Reconstruction

During reconstruction, the parameters of buildings or structures change: the number of storeys, area and architecture of the building increase.

During the reconstruction, the old layout is changed, which has ceased to meet the modern requirements of comfort or the changed composition of the family. The construction of extensions, the arrangement of an attic residential floor, the change in the purpose of premises - all these are methods of reconstruction. Along with changes in architectural and planning solutions, dilapidated structures are also being replaced, as in a major overhaul.

Restoration

If a house has a valuable appearance from the point of view of architecture or history, even if this value is not generally accepted, but takes place only in your perception (for example, this is your home), they are not talking about repair or reconstruction, but about restoration- that is, the restoration of the original appearance with the strengthening of the structure. Restoration is the most difficult and expensive option, because the restoration work involves the use of authentic materials and technologies.

Restoration is the most difficult and expensive option for restoring an old house.

Regardless of which option you choose to remake old summer cottages, draw up an action plan: in what sequence the work will be carried out, what methods of restoring the foundation or other structures you are going to use, what materials will be required. Try to take into account all your requirements for an updated house, so as not to start building another extension after you have completed the reconstruction of the old building.

Demolish, can't rebuild

When evaluating wear and tear, and calculating the estimated cost of restoring and repairing old buildings is not inspiring, then you have to dismantle the old buildings and build a new home that fully meets your needs and desires.

If you appreciate

Why you should demolish the old house and build a new one

Deciding to demolish buildings and replace them with new ones is a difficult task. The choice depends on many reasons, and an important issue that stops many is financial. It seems, why break the finished house, it is cheaper to repair and rebuild it.

Indeed, in many cases this is the case. But when the process of destruction has gone too far, then the economy will not work. They say that if the percentage of wear of structures does not exceed 50%, then it makes sense to repair and redo it. But if more than 50%, then the economic benefit begins to tend to zero. Or it may happen that the cost of restoration and alteration will exceed the most luxurious estimates for new construction.

Even in the case of the undeniable value of the old, when restoring objects of value in terms of art or history, if the loss is more than 70%, a decision is made on conservation and historical reconstruction. It is a reconstruction of the structures and appearance of the object of restoration, based on the historical description of the object, the surviving fragments, the conclusions of historians and archaeologists about construction methods, and so on. That is, the remaining 30% of the whole is conserved (strengthened to stop further destruction), and the lost is replaced with a remake that repeats the old as much as possible.

If your old house and outbuildings in the country are not burdened with memories or architectural value, and the wear of old structures is too great, it is most likely worth rebuilding and here's why:

• the cost of restoring and strengthening worn-out structures can be compared and even exceed the cost of building new ones;
• in the course of a major overhaul, previously unnoticed pitfalls may appear or "skeletons in the closet" may be found. It may turn out that one or another structure is not nearly as strong as it seemed during the initial assessment of the condition of the house. This will either increase the cost of repairs, or make it impossible to carry out according to the plan, which, in the end, will raise the cost of restoration work;
• the application of modern building technologies to an old building may not be possible. For example, insulation of an old log house with the use of polystyrene foam and building vapor-wind-hydroprotective membranes, laminate on the floor and new plastic windows with double-glazed windows can “kill” the old house completely: the wood under the cladding will begin to rot and collapse, dampness will appear in the renovated house ;
• the structures of an old house may not be suitable for redevelopment or floor additions. For example, in a five-wall frame, you cannot remove the log partition (overcut) - this is part of the structure.

Make the right choice of punctuation in the phrase "Tear down can not rebuild" and enjoy the renovated old house or built a new one on the site of the old one.

Many people dream of their own home, but not everyone has the opportunity to buy a dream home. But everything or almost everything, if you wish, you can do it yourself.

How to make a house from improvised materials on your own?

Here we will consider the example of an American couple, of course, this is not Russia, not the climate, not the standard of living, but, nevertheless, a lot can be learned from the experience of our American neighbors.

Young couple from Portland (Oregon, America) were able to prove by their own example that this is possible.

They remodeled the old barn and assembled their home literally bit by bit. What did they end up with? We decided to take a look at the results of their labors!

Young enthusiasts

Small house interior

Newlyweds Michael and Jenny have long dreamed of their own house, but there was a catastrophic lack of funds to buy it. The only thing that was bought for a small amount of money was an old dilapidated barn and a small piece of land. The young people still had some money left. It was decided to spend them on restoring the house and decorating the interior.

All that is at hand

Small kitchen interior

The barn went to the couple not empty, but filled with old boxes and boards. They were used to restore and strengthen the facade of the house, as well as partial interior decoration. Interestingly, Michael and Jenny were lucky with wood, they got teak and cedar boards. This wood was also useful for creating furniture that the owners of the house made with their own hands, which made it possible to significantly save money. The other part of the interior items was purchased at flea markets and family sales.

Michael and Jenny made a lot of things in the house with their own hands

Furniture made from old boards and boxes

View of the living room from above

Adjoining territory

The equipment was bought in a junk shop

Proper storage in a small interior

Cozy zoning

Despite the fact that the area of ​​the house is only 35 square meters, zoning was well organized in it. The kitchen was separated by a bar counter. The living room was not cluttered with furniture, there is only a sofa that moved with the owners from the old interior, as well as a homemade table and stool. The second floor was completely taken under the bedroom. It turned out to be relatively spacious and well organized.

living area

Interior of a small bedroom

tiny bathroom

A tiny shared bathroom deserves special attention, in which they did not abandon the standard bath. The entire space of the room was done in white. To save space, plumbing picked up non-standard sizes. This also affected the visual perception of a small interior.

Those who live in the south of our country may well do the same. By the way, the temperature in Portland can drop to -20.

Well, for us, residents of snowy regions and frosts of -40, of course we need a barn at least on a foundation and with a stove, and old boards will not be enough for insulation, but that's not even the point, but the fact that everything here is made by hand from waste material and only 35 square meters, people have created a spacious and most comfortable space, this can be done with us.

This little cottage story is about how a daughter-photographer made her own studio in the backyard for her mother, who loves to draw. Previously, this modest building housed work equipment, which was moved to the basement of the main house. The same place, suitable for both art and life, was decorated as a gift.

In fact, for us, summer residents, this house is just another confirmation that a small space can be magically inviting and cozy. Maybe even more than a huge cottage.

Stacey Van Berkel designed this space entirely to her taste, without relying on any style or tradition. Almost all the furniture was taken from relatives or in their own basement. Something - repainted, for something - a new functionality was invented. Natural materials were also used in the decor. For example, a birch twig made an excellent curtain.

“All I wanted was to make a place that would inspire my retired mother to be creative. She no longer works and lives outside the city, and it would be much nicer for me if she painted, and did not watch TV. She loved doing it so much when she was younger!” Stacey says. Helping her mother to realize her old dream of a studio, the girl also realized her own - to win some national photography competition. Canada's National Magazine awarded her for the special charm of the pictures, which literally spills over the viewer and makes you feel better.

“Most of all, I was hindered by a limited budget. For about two years I had this idea, but I could not realize it, until a friend advised me to use what I have. And the rest - buy later. It turned out that I did not have to buy anything, except for new bed linen and pillow cases on the first floor and a lot of cans of paint. I collected all the other things from relatives, neighbors, and even begged one of the tables from a friend in exchange for a photo session, ”says the self-taught decorator.

In general, the house has only one room, which is still divided into two levels. Downstairs is a studio and a small living room, consisting of two chairs, turned into armchairs with cushions. On the second level - a sleeping place, which can be used only in the warm season.

“I probably wouldn’t have started working on the decor if I hadn’t seen how others do it. A friend showed me a small children's room in his house, where it was full of old things. She looked not only beautiful, but also very stylish. Then I just decided that I would start with an easy one - I would buy white paint and paint everything I could reach with it, ”Stacy’s work on this small project began with such an initiative.

“I spent more on paint than planned, but between working days my aunt suggested that I borrow her two old turquoise chairs that used to be on her veranda. Now there is a new soft corner, and for me the chairs turned out to be a real treasure. In fact, they look much better than my aunt's new furniture."

Small, dainty pieces complement Stacy's interiors where needed. For example, an old turquoise mug was transformed into a vase on the windowsill, where it would be empty without it.

The specially selected and exceptionally soft color scheme of this house consists of the following colors:

• milky white and snow white;
• turquoise and mint;
• pink;
• light green.

“My mother’s old easel had to be repainted white, otherwise it would stand out too much in the interior. We did the same with the stool. But we found a small turquoise table near the easel gathering dust in our basement. His leg was broken, and I undertook to fix it myself. Then I painted it in my favorite color, and it turned out to be a beautiful piece of furniture. Which, by the way, is not scary to get dirty with art, unlike new furniture.

“Mom says that she has never received the best gift in her life. This is probably because the entire renovation was kept secret from her. She only saw that I occasionally bring barrels of paint there, but she did not expect such unearthly beauty at all. Besides, when I told her that there was also a bedroom upstairs, she just gasped. This turn of events was completely magical for her, because all the households have long written off the old barn,” says Stacey.

The article is posted in sections:

It just so happened historically that most summer residents do not have a separate garden shed: there is a capital common one, and they manage it. But this is not always convenient: all households actively contribute to its filling, and for some reason the most convenient place for a new thing turns out to be right at the doorstep. Naturally, over time, a formidable blockage forms at the entrance.

Do not forget one more feature: many of us are simply not able to immediately send a thing that has gone out of use to the landfill, be it an old coat or a limping coffee table - what if it will do for something? No, let him lie down for a while, but not in the house! It is clear where old things are sent for overexposure. As a result, it is not always possible to get a rake from a barn without bringing down a pile of things on yourself.

A completely different matter is a garden shed. Personal, where only our goods are stored: pitchforks and rakes, choppers and scoops, soil and pots, pegs and twine, markers and a garden journal. And if your imagination helpfully drew something like this (as in the photo below), do not worry: the barn does not have to be dilapidated, dusty or unsightly.

A garden shed can be so cozy and charming that you'll want to spend as much time as possible around it, and you won't have to worry about decorating it.

Perfection in miniature

A small garden shed can be roomy and functional: it is convenient to transplant flowers on a folding table or.

Or arrange a cozy place where you can wait out a little rain and drink some tea.

And my friend has a canopy attached to the garden house, under which a small and fit. It is very convenient: the work is progressing, and the children are under supervision.

fabulous beauty

Surely, many would not refuse to store in a hut, as if descended from the pages of a book of fairy tales.

Or in such a wonderful house. True, there is a high probability that the children would quickly win it back for their own needs, leaving choppers and rakes without a roof over their heads =)

I would have to urgently build a new barn for inventory. But this is not a problem: there is no shortage of ideas, here are a few more interesting ones.

color charm

Here the accent of the building is the color scheme. The snow-white building looks very beautiful, but, perhaps, it is suitable only for fans of cleanliness. I would not dare to paint my garden shed white (even ordinary rain will turn it into a mess, not to mention not always clean hands with which you will have to open the door), but admire it with pleasure.

But the delicate lilac is pleasing to the eye, and not so easily soiled.




Noble gray will harmoniously fit into any surrounding landscape.

Letting your imagination run wild, you can combine colors ad infinitum: and who said that a garden shed should be plain?

In my opinion, the design option for the garden shed in the photo below is a great solution: a lot of natural wood texture and just a little bit of delicate pastels.

Agree, if the window frames and the door had not been painted, the building would have looked ordinary, but the minimum of paint gave it a stylish look.

What are we building from?

The priority, of course, is wood in all forms and forms.

Often the tree is not even covered with paint, leaving it in its natural form. But I still wouldn't give up.




By the way, one of our readers found a very original solution for decorating a barn with bark - Brick sheds are suitable for those who want to acquire a solid structure.

It is not at all necessary to copy the proposed ideas: process and change them at your discretion, supplement them with details that please you. After all, this is your garden shed, and it's up to you to decide how to make it a decoration for your summer cottage.

What's inside?

Nice appearance, of course, wonderful. But no less important is how the shed looks from the inside! After all, we see him more than once a day, so it is very desirable that he be as good inside as he is outside.

A window, even a small one, will create the feeling of a living room, and not a warehouse for shovels and rakes. Can you imagine how pleasant it will be to sit by the window, writing down the date or calculating the next due date?

For the arrangement, improvised materials will do: several boards and drawers will provide us with a desktop.

You can continue to sort out successful options for decorating garden sheds indefinitely) Perhaps it's time to return to reality.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a garden shed: choppers and shovels huddle in general with all the ensuing consequences that I mentioned at the beginning of the article. In no way do I consider myself a fan of the ideal order, but still I would like to find things where I left them. Therefore, a garden shed is not only a dream for me, but also an urgent need.

There is no point in building anything on the current site - constant flooding calls into question further residence on it. But on the new plot of land I will definitely have a garden shed! Therefore, now I am in the process of actively searching for beautiful (but not at the expense of practicality) ideas for its design.

Friends, share photos of your garden sheds or interesting ideas you saw on the Internet - everything will come in handy! Most often, masterpieces are collective images: with the world on a string - and not just a garden shed is ready, but a worthy decoration for a summer house =)

The article used photos from the site ru.pinterest.com and pixabay.com.