Architect Steve McDowell’s reimagining of a rundown hay barn in Overbrook, Kansas, is among the most striking examples of a repurposed outbuilding we’ve ever seen—and that’s largely due to his sensitive two-part design: 1) Restore the original exterior, right down to the rusted corrugated metal cladding. 2) Rebuild the inside entirely into a modern and comfy, albeit super-compact, weekend retreat.
The farm—corn and beans are its main crops—has been in his wife Mary Anne’s family since 1961. During the COVID pandemic, their son took to camping with his friends on the property, just an hour and a half from Kansas City, where the family resides. Inspired by his escapes, the couple decided to restore the barn—”the only remaining vertical structure on the farm,” says Steve—and turn it into their little house on the prairie.
With a footprint that comes in at just 480 square feet, the home “operates much bigger than it is,” he says, thanks to a sleep loft and the addition of two porches, one in the front, the other in the back. “My favorite part is the way it connects us to nature. We were there for three days recently, and it was pouring rain and too wet to be outdoors. But you could hear the rain on the roof and porches, and you could totally enjoy the views and watch the weather.”
Below, he walks us through his design decisions.
Photography by Kelly Callewaert, courtesy of BNIM.
For more barn conversions, see:
- How Architects Remodel: A Design Couple Convert an Old Barn Into Their Low-Impact Family Home
- Kitchen of the Week: A Modern Barn Conversion in the English Countryside
- The Modern Barn in Cornwall: Two Designers Use Local Materials and Traditions to Build Their Family Home
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