Best of Both Barns

A barn gets a modern yet rustic home makeover.

Filed under: Home Types

Preserving the history of the old barn was an important part of Judi Clyman and Jeff Sultanik's renovation.

When classmates ask Sara and Evan Sultanik if they were raised in a barn, they have to say yes.

: The centerpiece of the house is the great room where modern furniture and rustic timbers combine in an open space.
: Clyman's antiques are on display throughout the house, but the extensive collection also fills a special third-floor loft.
: The original timbers go through the walls of the new construction to the outside to add flavor and soul to the new design.

Their parents, Judi Clyman and Jeff Sultanik, found living in a converted barn in the suburbs of Lansdale, Pa., to be a fun alternative to your typical suburban rancher. The couple did have differing opinions on how the barn should be converted. So they compromised and settled on a decorating scheme that mixed Clyman's antiques with Sultanik’s modern gadgetry.

Barn restoration expert Sean Tracy was a big help in turning the rustic barn into a family home. The original timber frame remains in the great room where dairy cows and farm equipment were once kept. An old barn beam, dating back 150 years, was recycled into a waterfall faucet. Although Sara is probably the only girl in school with barn doors in her room, she likes the unique touch.