Hilary Farr Makes Over an Old Barn, and You Won’t Believe the Results

Hilary Farr Makes Over an Old Barn, and You Won’t Believe the Results

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Hilary Farr, the host of HGTV’s new series “Tough Love With Hilary Farr,” can make just about any space feel homey—even a barn.

Farr pulls it off with aplomb in the Season 1 episode “What, Do You Live in a Barn?” Farr meets with Kim, a mom of two in Springfield Township, PA, and proud owner of an old converted barn. This home was built sometime in the 1700s, then was made into a house in the 1800s. Naturally, it has history and character. Kim knows her home needs some work, but she’s worried about undermining her home’s integral style.

“Maintaining the true character of this home is crucial to me,” Kim says. “If I modernize, will it make it better? Or if I modernize, will I ruin it?”

Kim has a $100,000 renovation budget, which means Farr will need to think carefully about how to refresh the whole house while maintaining its signature old-barn charm. Here’s how she pulls off the updates, with plenty of take-home tips you’ll be inspired to try that strike the best balance between old and new.

An island makes a kitchen more functional

Of course, builders in the 1700s didn’t plan for this barn to be used as a living space, so it’s no surprise this kitchen isn’t set up correctly.

“Let me just be blunt: The kitchen doesn’t work,” Farr says.

The room has hardly any storage and the small, dated appliances are crammed together far away from the prep space. It’s clear that, in this kitchen, cooking is complicated.

“I have all the family dinners here for all of the holidays, and I have a refrigerator that’s shorter than I am,” Kim complains.

So Farr adds a huge island to the center of the room, providing Kim with plenty of storage as well as a convenient spot for her stove. She also adds a double oven, new fridge, plus $6,000 worth of lovely new quartz countertops.

When the kitchen is finished, Kim is delighted by the transformation. Not only is this space much more functional with the new island, but it also looks updated. While Kim wants to preserve the history of this home, that doesn’t mean you can’t mix in a modern look.

Exposed pipes can look nice

Farr knows that she can’t keep every old feature of the original barn, but there is one feature she wants to show off: the ceiling. The rafters add to the rustic, historic feel of this home, which Kim loves, but the plumbing pipes are right up against the rafters, making it impossible to show off the old wood while hiding the piping.

“Normally, I would hide the plumbing pipes, but in this case, they’re right up against the rafters, which I want to reveal, so I guess we’re going to see plumbing and rafters,” Farr says. “I’m sure making these copper pipes look as decorative as possible is going to be a lot more work for the contractor and a bit more money, too, but it’s going to be so worth it.”

Farr shines up these old pipes and chooses a brass sink faucet to match. When the space is done, Kim loves the look.

White paint can brighten up a living room

In the living room, Kim and her kids have two distinct sitting areas: one used by the family and the other used by their four cats. Kim isn’t happy with the setup, but she isn’t sure how to reclaim the space next to the fireplace.

“My main living area is great from an aesthetic perspective,” Kim says. “I just believe it could be more usable.”

Farr decides that what this space needs is a brighter, more welcoming look, so she swaps out the dingy chairs and dark rug with lighter hues. But perhaps the biggest change in this room is the white paint on the walls. While the dark brown wood made this room feel like a barn, the white makes it feel less dark and cavelike.

“This all got painted to bring in the light,” Farr says once the room is done. “So it really allows this room to feel as bright as possible.”

Here, a simple fix like a new coat of paint made a big difference. Perhaps this change will entice Kim’s family to lounge in this area more often, rather than just the cats!

Put up walls so you can work from home

While Kim is lucky to have a sizable office right off the living room, there isn’t enough of a divider between the two spaces.

“I am constantly telling my kids they have to turn the TV down,” Kim says.

Farr comes up with an idea to build a wall that will not only separate Kim’s office from the living room but also add some much-needed storage.

“The idea is to turn this room into a fantastic, functional, not just office, but also a place that she can hang out in, watch television, and be separated from her children,” Farr says.

The HGTV star designs built-ins with cabinetry below, open shelving above, and even a spot for a TV. To give this room some color, she paints this new wall a light green for a natural but playful look.

When the room is finished, Kim is thrilled with the space. While many homeowners want to bust down walls for an open floor plan, some privacy is just as important, particularly if you work from home.

A new bathroom can still fit in an old barn

Farr makes a lot of changes to the kitchen, living space, and home office, but there’s still one room that needs some work: the kids’ bathroom.

Kim explains that this bathroom isn’t even used because the shower is broken.

“I got to the point where I don’t know what to do, so I did nothing, and the kids continued to use my bathroom,” Kim says.

Not only does Farr fix the shower, but she also gives the whole bathroom a makeover, with new floor tile, a new vanity, and a new shower adorned with timeless subway tile.

While this bathroom has been completely renovated, Farr makes sure to choose finishes that look classic. The finished product proves that even a brand-new bathroom can fit in an old house.

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