A Timeless Renovation at Chapel Springs Barn

A newly renovated barn features modern and comfortable upgrades, paired with timeless designs.

Set amidst the rolling hills of Charlottesville, Virginia, the Chapel Springs barn stands like a jewel in the fields. Its timeless elegance made stronger by a recent renovation unites its historic beauty with modern amenities. With the plan to maintain the integrity of the original barn, the path was cleared to apply cutting edge technology to create a modern facility. Lancaster, PA-based B&D Builders, experts in equestrian facilities, renovations and adaptive reuse, collaborated with the owners and the original builder to transform the dark and outdated barn into a space that provides comfort for both animals and riders.

“It was an existing barn with really good bones,” says Daniel Glick, B&D Builders owner and founder. “We peeled back the existing finishes and applied timbers in the form of lock mitered box beams to the existing structural membrane for a more refined finish.”

Credits:

Architect: Neumann Lewis & Buchanan

General Contractor: B&D Builders

Corbels and Other Timber Work: Mid-Atlantic Timberframes

Interior Doors and Box Beams: Vintage Millwork & Restoration

Reclaimed Wood: Vintage Wood & Forged Iron

Stall Fronts: Blackwood Equestrian Stalls

Photography by Jana Bannan Photography

The barn’s welcoming entrance features floor to ceiling sliding doors, impressive columns, and a brick walkway.

The team incorporated reclaimed chestnut doors throughout, reclaimed white oak in the tack room, state-of-the-art washing and grooming facilities, and a complex yet highly effective ventilation system.

While the current barn was very well built, it was also dark and enclosed compared to today’s standards. To overcome this, B&D proposed cutting away more than 2/3 of the center aisle roof to open up the space and incorporating Kalwall, an uplighting solution that does not blind or cast shadows on the barn floor which could potentially spook horses.

“With all the framing already in place, we could not prepare for this properly without doing something dramatic,” says Glick. “We proposed a barrel cleaning with the “ribs” holding up the sections we cut out and supported by a series of complex hidden steel beams and other stabilizing systems.”

Comfort Stall Mats and rolled rubber flooring also add to the horses’ wellbeing while the architectural upgrades offer riders a graceful and inviting space.