The Rags To Riches House

Luke Riley Luke Riley
Scheunen Terrasse, erdudatz erdudatz Eclectic style balcony, veranda & terrace
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The owners of a historical barn in the village of Saarbrücken in Germany had a serious predicament: their barn was beginning to crumble due to decades of neglect, with the building threatening to deteriorate more and more with each passing day.

The building obviously needed considerable attention but the question remained of how they would go about saving the building. A decision needed to be made fast. However, the owners were torn between restoring the barn to its original condition or changing the look and function of the barn to be something completely different. After much consideration and consultation with their builder they decided to go with the latter. 

We won't give away how exactly they changed the old barn yet but you'll be surprised and amazed with the result when you find out! Keep scrolling and see why…  

Almost ready to collapse

A picture of the old barn before the renovations occurred reveals the dire state the building was in. The roof was sinking and would have collapsed if left much longer. Elsewhere, there were missing bricks and tiles, as well as the mortar cracking after years of being exposed to the elements. From a purely aesthetic perspective, the barn really was an eye-sore with its ugly grey concrete render that had water marks all over. The barn really was a stand-out in the village but for all the wrong reasons!

A slow process

Design firm Erdudatz were the team responsible for the renovation efforts. The team worked closely with the property owners and contributed greatly to the design of the new look barn. 

Brick-by-brick parts of the barn were removed. Only small fragments at a time were able to be taken away in the early stages since the building posed as a risky work site. 

A beautiful outcome

Today when people pass through the village they're greeted by a picturesque setting that's no longer ruined by the run-down barn that many thought should be just torn down and removed from history. 

Coated in a gleaming white infused cream shade the new look barn has the ultimate curb appeal. The colour choice does wonders to highlight the building's traditional form and contrasts magically against the exposed brick on the ground level. 

Everything appears to look as it should but we can't help but notice that something looks very different on the top section of the building…

Old and new combine

From this perspective it looks as if the tradesmen have completely forgotten to replace the roof. However, before we take the time to investigate why, let's take a moment to appreciate the beautiful exterior of the barn.  

Rooftop wonder

Were you expecting to find a rooftop terrace? We certainly weren't! As we noticed in the earlier picture, most of the roof has been replaced by clear openings. If you look closely, you'll notice that one side of the roof can be pulled down and across with a temporary shade. Now when the shade is pulled up the lucky owners are able to appreciate panoramic views above the village and of the farmland beyond. 

Of course, one of the best perks of having a terrace is dining outdoors. There is no doubt there is something special about eating and drinking on a rooftop terrace basking in the sunshine, which is exactly why the owners thought to include a dining table. Diners are well protected from the elements with a partial roof being built above. 

A bright future

In a pure design sense, the new-look barn appears to break all the conventional rules of a historical barn restorations. However, somehow everything has come together perfectly. We simply love how the design manages to retain the key characteristics and charms of the old barn, resulting in the barn being able to be admired and appreciated for years to come. The idea to convert the upper level into a terrace was ingenious, with the lucky owners able to enjoy the best in modern comforts from an amazing location. Overall, it’s a fascinating fusion of old meets new.

For more inspiring rooftop terraces click the following link: London's Best Rooftop Terraces.

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