Ever wanted to turn your backyard barn or shed into a livable tiny house for guests or for yourself?
Even if it were only for the kids to camp in once in a while..
One of our awesome readers, Jean, sent me photos and information on how she converted this barn into a little home.
At approximately 288 square feet, it’s not incredibly tiny, but you can take the same concepts and apply it to an even smaller structure.
Jean bought a 12′ by 24′ barn with a loft and converted it by hand into a guest cottage.
Photos Courtesy of Jean H.
The exterior is a cedar color with a green shingled roof. Inside the walls have a mahogany finish. I encourage you to take a look at the rest:
She added a tin ceiling inside after insulating and installed a beam down the center where Jean also installed a ceiling fan.
When you look at the kitchen don’t miss the space saving built-in cutting board.
In the bathroom (see below) you can use a combination of tin and wood to keep material costs low.
She installed hand-made tongue and groove wood flooring, sanded the walls, stained everything, and polished.
Jean used an old log to create lots of what you see inside, added a carpeted sleeping loft upstairs, and insulated the entire thing.
The antique bar stools were a good choice and Jean used an old log to create the bar (see above).
She did all of the plumbing and electrical which meets coding regulations. Jean’s barn conversion also includes:
- 6 windows with locks and screens
- Full shower
- 6 electrical wall outlets
- New appliances
- Closet with hanging rod
- Tall drawer chest
Almost all of the furniture was hand-made. I don’t have details on total material costs or hours of labor but Jean said, “more than I’d like to admit,” in one of the emails that we exchanged.
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Alex
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Very nice! Lloyd Kahn’s new book has an excellent example of a shed conversion too. I would have use lighter colors within though, just me, darker ones visually make a place feel smaller. I love that slab bar/table though- and several other aspects. -Deek
Thanks, Deek, glad you liked it. Can’t wait to get Lloyd’s book in my hands!
I have long been fascinated by this idea and even wrote a post about converting sheds into tiny houses back in February of 2011. You can find that post here: http://www.tinyrevolution.us/2011/02/28/turn-your-shed-into-a-tiny-house/
I agree with Deek in that lighter colors, more windows, etc. help make the interior space visually more open and inviting (as well as larger). That said, the stain is a beautiful and rich color and I commend Jean on his awesome work!
Thanks, Drew, glad you pointed that out. I’ve always liked the idea of turning existing structures into tiny homes. Sheds/barns are perfect for that.
I agree with you guys on the light colors but I also like the dark. Gives it that bar-like atmosphere where you can drink your whiskey with pride, lol.
Good point with the whiskey. Not sure my wife and daughter would care for a whiskey atmosphere though. HAHAHHAHA
LOL
Very nice Well done I like the look. You have done a super job at this and it is obvious you are a craftsman
Thanks, Steve- glad you liked it!
I think the dark adds a bit of continuity with the exposed framing.it kind of dresses up the framing lumber a bit. I really love the use of galvy roofing metal for wall coverings it looks good,hangs quick and is definitely built to last! it Might even heat up quicker in there because the metal will not absorb heat like wood or dry wall.the draw back is that the building will cool off quicker.
Thanks, Eli. I like the use of galvanized metal too.
Hi Alex, Great Job!!!
Thanks, Faye!
excellent. I already live in one (smiles), 6 six years and counting right here in rural arkansas
Hehe :)
I like the steam punk feel of the dark wood and the metal.
Glad you like it Randall!
Great idea. We have a 12′ x 20 ‘ corrugated metal storage building with round metal supports inside. I would like to put some type of siding around the outside of the building and put a standard roof over the thin corrugated metal which has already been punctured by falling limbs. No insulation in building.
Any info on best way to accomplish the task of putting siding outside and putting a stronger roof on, and insulating the interior. Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks, Carl. Wish I could help you there.
Does anyone have any ideas he can use to add siding and a roof over his corrugated metal storage building?
not unless its just re-framed in i would guess,
Thanks, Jean!
Carl, I didn’t add siding to my metal shed, too much $$$. Save that money for a roof and porches. I pressure-washed it and painted it forest green, trimmed out the doors and windows with white. I don’t think these metal sheds could bear the weight of a framed roof directly on it, so I invested in an open carport-type metal shed to cover the entire top, with a few feet to spare over the front end to make a covered porch/entry for bad weather.Kept the metal doors on it for storms and security, framed in French doors just inside.Framed in the inside, added insulation and beadboard,framed in a small overhead loft from wood, NOT using the metal frame. Built our bathroom as an add-on out the side door. Cozy and critter-proof, and the green blends in my woodsy location. Good luck, there’s a lot you can do with one of these sheds.
I would like to see the floor plan for this
Wish I had it.. We’ll see if she can provide it for us.
i went to lowes, bought some pine 1x6x8 ‘s. tongue and grooved them my self. put them down with screws….used an old laminate flooring hook to pull them in tight as we worked our way down each board. .took a heavy log chain and beat the crap out of it to give it that worn old look, stained them, put about ten coats of high gloss shine on them. and there we go….
Thanks!
Even as a kid, I thought a barn or shed would make a great home! Thanks for sharing
I always thought so too! Glad you enjoyed it Danielle.
thanks everyone for the comments, i wish i had knwon about the tiny house when i did this, i would have put it on wheels. thats the only regret i have. but. my dad is living in it right now and he loves it.
Hey Jean- thanks again so much for sharing with everyone. I think you’ve inspired at least a handful of folks!
Thanks for this great post, love all the big, clear photos. The metal roof is a very unique touch probably a bit tricky to cut outlet boxes and such into it, but makes for a cool and sturdy ‘vibe’ to the house.
I’d love to hear more about other good low cost paneling options as I prepare to finish off my new cabin addition -the price of most wood paneling is really high (T111 and beadboard, etc.)
Alex
Glad you enjoyed it Alex!
Nice,,,,,,,,to work hard for what you have and very economical to save money,,,first you buy a shed,,and then do all the work yourself,,,it looks amazing how you stained the walls,,floors,,, I love the bar too,, imagination you have,,,,thanks for sharing with this too…..
Very nice how you stained it yourself,, i love the bar how you fit that in the kitchen,,,,very resourceful….and it works when u can insulate this also….thanks…
Hey Corinne, glad you liked it. I think she did a great job too.
thanks for all the comments folks. enjoy getting feedback. as quick as this one sells i will be starting on one on wheels. here we go again!!
Of course, I love this, just love it. Awesome. I have one here in rural south central sunny Arkansas. You rock!! This is the future.
I love this! Before FINALLY deciding it was time to downsize,simplifiy and start fresh recently,I bought one of those rent-t-own sheds,12×24,though mine too (like someone else who posted)is made of the same material as these new steel roofs. Come Spring,I intend to move it to some property I own elsewhere and turn it into a tiny house where my kids acan stay when I have them too,maybe a mini-homestead. When I get it where I want it,I’ll make a post on it (I’m new t here,BTW) :)
Hi Stephen, that’s awesome! Can’t wait to hear about it when you start the conversion. 12×24 is pretty good size to work with. Welcome to the community by the way!! :)
Thanks for the welcome! My journey with it won’t begin until tax season next year,being on a fixed income (I call it “early retirement”,but I’m disabled with 11 year old spinal injuries as of 4 years ago) will make things interesting. The property I own there,we lived on it before a housefire last year-it was a “total loss”,though 3 walls still stand,I will move there and spend a year tearing all of that down,hauling it aay,salvaging anything I can use,selling what I cannot (if good),living in that shed during,looking to build a more perminent “small home” (slightly bigger than ‘tiny house’) after that.
Stephen
Stephen, instead of building two houses – a tiny one and then a larger one later – consider building one house, but in stages. Design it so after you finish the first tiny part, you can add on another section.
Sharon,I’ve been thinking the same idea (and thank you for suggesting it). The shed I’m converting is a steel building-shed 12×24 feet (288 sq ft),so I could easily enough buy another (LOL,I don’t mean to im;ly there’s bunches of disposible income,but rather that this one will be paid off and I could swing the same payment again ;) ),and could certainly “hook them together” in some form or fashion-though they may be too wide for the space I have until after the tearing down of the old…
What I’m thinking as I’m researching,and have crawled under the old burned house to look,is possibly tearing it down to the floor,then section off and tear out all of it that was damaged,building a nice large deck over that portion (being a “mobile home”,a doublewide,it has that trailer frame underneath I’m not equipped to cut into haulable pieces myself,and cost to pay someone is prohibitive from what I’ve discovered),and rebuild using existing flooring/framework/foundation…just smaller ;)
SELL THE TRAILER TO SOMEONE LOOKING TO BUILD A TINY HOUSE ON WHEELS. IM LOOKING FOR ONE NOW. PUT IT ON CRAIGSLIST. IT WILL SELL FAST. BETTER THAN JUNKING IT.
i have since added homemade flower boxes to all my windows. and painted all the trim burgundy. looks great. thinking about a porch next.
Jean,I think you misunderstood,1) it isn’t a trailer,it’s a doublewide (which is technically a trailer,but has certain and specific differences),and 2) it’s a total loss from a fire as far as someone buying it,it cannot be moved (besides the fact that it could never be moved out due to sheer size,as it’s now surrounded by other houses that weren’t there when it was brought in back inthe 80′s)…it must be torn down,whether it was sold or scrapped.
ahhhhhh got it.
I own a 12×30 portable cabin that’s already insulated and wired. The interior right now is metal, but I want to refinish it in something else over time. I should start working on it this spring. Anchoring it to a permanent foundation is my main concern right now. Any ideas?
How much did it cost to build the bathroom in the shed.
I’m probably gonna do the same thing for my barn lol.
Love the idea!!