When you’re in search of a modern farmhouse in the hills of Southern California’s Temecula wine country, but there’s not currently one on the market, what do you do? For starters, one path might be to think outside the box and look for ways to transform other structures into the home you dream of finding. For Ian and Lindsay Kujawa, they did just that — they found a 12-stall horse barn, built in 2008, and tured it into the 4,176-square-foot dream home that it is today. “While we were looking for a home, Ian pulled up a 12-stall horse barn that was for sale,” Lindsay shares. “He asked me what I thought about it. He said maybe we could gut it and transform it into our home. This sounded nearly impossible, yet like the ultimate dream all in one. The next morning we decided to take a little drive out to the barn to see it in person. I remember driving by slowly and seeing the barn up on the hill for the first time. I immediately got goosebumps and teary eyed. I KNEW it was for us and I knew that we could transform it into our dream home!”

The overall renovation took about eight months, mostly doing all the work themselves, with the help of friends and family. Living out of the second floor while getting started on the first level was the plan for this family of four and their dog. “The original barn had an existing apartment on the second floor above all the stalls. It had a little tiny kitchen with one bedroom and one (very small) bathroom. So we made the decision to renovate that part last and live upstairs while the rest of the renovation was going on around us. We called our temporary situation ‘loft living’ since the kitchen, eating area, boys’ beds, couch and TV were all in the same general space. It was pretty tight and I don’t know if I would recommend that or do that again,” Lindsay recalls.

With hopes of repurposing as much as possible of the barn, they were able to save the original beams and barn ceiling. “I have always loved bright, airy and happy spaces so my vision for our home was exactly that,” Lindsay says. “Since we had to decorate around all the existing beams, I choose low-profile mid-century modern pieces mixed in with farmhouse style elements to warm it up a little bit. I also wanted to keep with the theme of the original barn, so all the bedroom doors have sliding barn doors and there is barn lighting throughout.”

Now, with an open floor plan and open land for their two boys, ages four and six, The Kujawa Family has the home they didn’t believe they’d find. The have a place to entertain guests and family and they have the space they always dreamed of. Please enjoy this transformation from barn to the beautiful home it is today. —Erin

Photography by Lindsay Kujawa and Paige Buffington

SOURCE LIST

Living room

Couches: Thrive Furniture

Paint color all throughout: Dunn Edwards Cool December

Coffee table: Mt Hood Wood Works

Rug: RugsUSA

Turkish pillows: Flea market and eBay finds

Dining room

Table: Pottery Barn

End table chairs: Homegoods

Kitchen

Pendants: Barn Light Electric

Kitchen stools: Wayfair

Cabinet hardware: Myknobs.com

Farmhouse sink: IKEA

Turkish rug: Vintage eBay

Ronin’s room

Little school chair: Craigslist

Book shelves: Ikea

Playroom

Sawhorse desk: DIY

Rug: RugsUSA

Green wall table: DIY

1/15 Before the transformation of the Kujawa Family's home, and after the complete renovation.

2/15 "So much work went into our renovation and to sit outside with my family, soaking up the sunshine and looking into our completed home feels good. I am proud of all of us for hanging in there even when we all wanted to quit. It was beyond worth it in the end," Lindsay shares.

3/15 Salvaging as much as possible from the barn was important to the Kujawa's. They were able to keep the existing beams and the original barn ceiling as well to create a stunning open floor plan.

4/15 "Right when you walk through the front door this is what you see. I will forever love how grand and open it feels whenever I step inside. Our home has so many windows and I love all the natural light that always comes shining through into the living room, " Lindsay says.

5/15 Where six horse stalls once stood, now a bright and airy kitchen welcomes guests.

6/15 "Our kitchen is by far my favorite room in our home," Lindsay notes, "I had so much fun designing it and it's the room where everyone gathers anytime we have people over. I love the modern yet country feel that I went with and it just makes me feel so warm and fuzzy whenever I am in there. We also decided to leave the ducting exposed and I feel like it adds the perfect amount of character."

7/15 "Our kitchen is completely open to the living room and it's so awesome that my boys can be sitting here eating cereal and Ian and I can be having a cup of coffee on the couch and we can all still interact and see each other."

8/15 The barn was previously a dark alley of stalls. Ian and Lindsay wanted a bright and inviting living room and dining room combination.

9/15 Gone are the horse feeding dishes, making way for a beautiful eat-in kitchen.

10/15 Here's a view of the dining room, which is an extension of the kitchen. Keeping in line with the walls and exposed beams, the table and chairs blend the style perfectly.

11/15 "I have always dreamed of having a plant wall somewhere in my home, and this was the perfect spot for it. It gets plenty of sunshine and it's right next to the french doors going outside, which makes it easy when it's time to water. It's one of my favorite little corners, and if you ask my husband he would say I am obsessed with it," Lindsay shares.

12/15 "Ronin's room has a little bit of a woody, rustic vibe going on, with a few fun pops of color."

13/15 "The now playroom is where we were living during the renovation. Our kitchen table was were the sawhorse desk is now and the little kitchen was where the green table now is. It obviously looks completely different now, but it will always be such a memorable space for us," Lindsay reflects.

14/15 Another view of the former kitchen, which is now part of the upstairs playroom.