Living large in a small barn | Home and Garden

Read article : Living large in a small barn | Home and Garden

Starting out, Ryan and Kim Woodward didn't intend to live in the upstairs of a small barn.

They had purchased 17 acres of grass and trees in rural Geneseo, Ill., as a site for the building of their dream home, and the reconstruction of a small barn on the property was just intended to provide them with a storage shed.

But as the barn relocation project progressed — Ryan deconstructed the barn from the property of friends' parents in Davenport — they began talking about making it their temporary home.

Doing so would have certain advantages, they reasoned.

They could sell the Rock Island home they were living in and use the freed-up money toward their dream home.

And because Ryan was going to build as much of the new home as possible with his own two hands, living on-site would be vastly more convenient than driving back and forth to the Quad-Cities every time he wanted to work. Convenient — and with much less time and gas money spent on commuting.

So sometime in 2013, the Woodwards decided they would create a 320-square-foot living space in the second floor of the barn, complete with a living room area, a kitchen, a bathroom and a small bedroom for their son, Henry, who is now 3.

In drawing up a floor plan, there were a couple of "non-negotiables," as Kim calls them. There had to be a bathtub for Henry, and he had to have his own room, no matter how small. And Kim needed a real kitchen.

Walk into the space today and you'll see that they achieved all that and more. In fact, most people say the space is bigger than they imagined, she said.

And it's not makeshift. This is a real home, with drywall and paint, a full bath and air-conditioning.

It's just that there are no closets, which is one of the drawbacks. To compensate, the couple has been as creative as possible with storage. They've also tucked away about 85 percent of their belongings off-site.

In the living area, an Ikea daybed — a sofa by day and a bed for Ryan and Kim by night — has drawers underneath that hold Ryan's clothes.

On the opposite wall is a built-in stock storage cabinet that contains everything from socks to electronics. A flat-screen television is mounted on the front.

The kitchen contains a butcher block table/island that also serves as Kim's office and Henry's play area, with storage space below. Appliances include a microwave, refrigerator and stove. The sink is a one-well model intended for a bar, but it's sufficient. Above is shelving holding dishes, with hooks below for containers of silverware and other kitchen items.

The back area contains Henry's room — the couple thought it was more important for him to have personal space than themselves — and a bath with a tub and a shower.

The couple used recycled materials as much a possible throughout. The cherry hardwood floor, for example, came from Ryan's parents, who had taken it out in a remodeling project.

Recessed fixtures, a skylight and windows on either end provide plenty of light.

A major drawback to the small space is there's no place to "get away," Kim said. If one wants to be alone, well, that's not really possible.

But in the short-term it's very doable, and in some ways it's liberating, she said.

By paring down, they have realized what everyone in the "small house" movement understands: One needs far fewer possessions than one has. It's amazing "how few things I miss," Kim said.

Cleaning goes quickly because there's so little to clean.

"And the view is worth it all," she says, referring to the panoramic view of the countryside from their deck. 

Speaking of the deck, it nearly doubles their space in nice weather, so that helps.

And the barn's ground floor is a regular garage, with a niche for their washer and dryer as well as space for storing all the tools Ryan needs for home-building.

Ryan, 32, is a 2007 graduate of Western Illinois University and works in product development for Deere & Co. in Silvis.

Kim, 31, is a 2006 graduate of Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and a former public relations specialist for Modern Woodmen in Rock Island. She now works as a mom, on home and garden projects, and writes a blog in addition to freelance projects.