A converted barn offers a cozy feel and a lot of history
A converted barn in the Riderwood community of Baltimore County is on the market for $895,000.
This two-story home has four bedrooms with two full bathrooms and two half-bathrooms. Records from the Maryland Historical Trust show a barn on the site dating back to the 1780s, and the home still has a portion of the original foundation and exposed beams from that time.
The current owner, Arleen Dvorine, an interior designer, and her husband, Ronald Ehman, restored the house to a large space of 4,860 square feet that still feels cozy.
A brick walkway bordered by a low stone wall leads to the front entrance. Cedar shingles and white wood framed windows with black shutters create the house's facade.
The front foyer has been painted to look like striped wallpaper, and the woodwork and crown molding lend an air of an English country manor.
Oak plank floors can be found in the foyer, living room and kitchen. French doors in the living room lead out to a shallow balcony. The walls are painted a light faux finish designed to look like Tuscan walls. A hand-painted frieze above the wood-burning fireplace repeats in a pattern that goes around the whole room. Enlarged custom moldings and built-in bookcases frame the room.
Sisal flooring in the dining room gives the room a rustic look, and four large windows provide plenty of light. The kitchen features redone cabinets, some with glass fronts. Modern appliances help give the space a retro vibe.
Dvorine said it took her about one year to remodel the house into its current condition. Other features include a spare room on the main floor reimagined as a walk-in closet that is part of the master bedroom suite. The master bathroom has tiled floors and recessed shelves on either side of the large soaking tub. Two bedrooms are on the same floor, but one is being used as a den.
A staircase on the main floor leads to the lower level and reminders of the structure's history. Chestnut beams with the bark still visible, barn doors that open separately on the top and bottom, and the original tack room doors can be found in the rec room. Another wood-burning stone fireplace takes center stage.
A bedroom on this level is being used as a home office. Other amenities include a full bathroom and powder room, and a door that leads to a flagstone patio with pool.