Clients’ Vision Inspires Living Space out of 1950s Horse Barn

Who knew a horse barn could be converted into an appealing place to eat, drink, study, and exercise?

The barn was built on this beautiful property in Albemarle County in the 1950s and housed stallions. In 1998 the owners decided they needed to update the structure. Alexander Nicholson did the work on that project, renovating the structure into a modern, functional horse barn. Twenty-two years later, the new owners invited us back doing a complete flip of the space into a space for the clients to enjoy in a different way.

The clients were inspired to convert the horse barn into a gym, bar, study, library, and dining area. We were up to the challenge. Our superintendent Garrett has artfully worked with the owners to make their dreams a reality. They wanted to keep the existing structure and stalls intact and our team worked hard to make that happen. Great additions like hidden doors and large lumber accents were also added. Garrett said, “working with the homeowners has been fun because they have amazing ideas.”

Belmont House Renovation Designed by Wolf Ackerman

The most exciting part of our work is making the vision of our client and their architect come to life. The vision for this project took a small home built in 1912 in the Charlottesville city neighborhood of Belmont, and expanded it with a completely modern addition.

The owner wished for a modern kitchen and bathroom to complement the original structure. The project necessitated the demolition of the back third of the house, and the addition of a 26’x14’ modern cube to contain the new rooms. A giant, 12’ wide door with clear glass panes and slats of exotic, oiled wood give the exterior a noteworthy finish, a signature look of the Wolf Ackerman architecture firm.

To make the owner’s dream reality, Alexander Nicholson needed to rebuild the original floor system. In 1912, the way floors were commonly built was with bricks directly on dirt. A hundred years later, the mortar used to hold that structure together had turned into sand. Alexander Nicholson supported the whole house, removed the foundation, and rebuilt it before beginning the project.

The finished product is a big update on a vintage home, that meets the needs and desires of the homeowner.