The Marshall Barn: From Fixer-Upper to Forever Home
This couple turned an aging mountaintop barn into a forever home with stunning views of the Shenandoah Valley. Take a look inside! Image: Frazier Springfield
Most couples return from their honeymoon with souvenirs. Griffin and Vivian Hagerty-Anderson came home with a mountaintop barn. During their trip, they heard about a secluded fixer-upper, accessible only by four-wheel drive and perched high above the Shenandoah Valley β and they couldnβt stop thinking about it. They cut their honeymoon short, made an offer sight unseen, and set out to transform a forgotten hunting lodge into the family home theyβd always imagined.
Vivian grew up in West Virginia, just a few hours from the barnβs idyllic landscape. Her childhood was spent running in and out of the house, playing in nature, and traipsing through the dirt. And while she and her new husband, Griffin, had only just tied the knot, they were already imagining giving their future children a similar experience. Cue the real estate listing for an old Virginia barn that held the keys to the quiet, free-spirited life they envisioned.
The couple returned early from their honeymoon after putting in an offer sight unseen. They knew they were in for a project, but between the potential and the vast views of the Shenandoah Valley from atop the mountain, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
They enlisted the talents of Sarah Snouffer, principal and founder of Third Street Architecture, and began an extensive renovation and addition to marry old and new at the project that came to be known as The Marshall Barn.
Although the structure started as a barn, it was relocated to the mountaintop in the 1980s and turned into a rustic hunting lodge. Improvements had been made along the way, but, as Sarah says, βIt needed love. You could stick your finger through the siding!β
Griffin and Vivian were eager to invest in the renovation to create a family home that would grow with them (and it has βΒ they recently welcomed their first child!). But they didnβt want to restore it to a basic mountain cabin.
Instead, they wanted something that felt like them. βTheyβre a fun and quirky couple, and they wanted to reflect that in their home,β Sarah says. βThey wanted color and personality, and they wanted to highlight the views.β
For the exterior, her team experimented with different renderings before settling on a board-and-batten style that suited the history and setting. The space originally had only one tiny window overlooking the Shenandoah Valley, but that changed with the addition of a large expanse of bifold doors, letting the valleyβs beauty take center stage.
Throughout the home, Sarahβs goal was not to go completely historic, or completely modern, or even to find some middle ground. Instead, she wanted intentional contrast between the original and new concepts. βI wanted that defined line between old and new,β she explains. βI put the fun colors on new stuff, but kept the old as a contrast.β
Sarah kept the living room walls white to highlight the gorgeous dark wood of the original beams. Their color was simply the result of patina over time. βAll we did was clean them up,β says Sarah. The floors had a similarly hands-off approach. They were added in the 1980s, and to maintain the essence of the wide plank pine boards, all Sarah did was apply a protective polyurethane coat.
Like the floors, the fireplace was added during the 1980s renovation. While it was originally a classic red brick, a slurry paint and a new insert gave it a fresh, modern look.
The wood ceiling that runs through the breakfast area and kitchen looks like it was a carefully selected design choice β but itβs actually the underside of the floor above! Although striking, it made running the electrical system challenging. A discreet conduit had to be added to incorporate the modern white chandelier.
Shades of green heavily infuse the homeβs aesthetic, taking their cues from nature. βWe played with a lot of greens in and out of the home,β says Sarah. βThe green of the mountains changes with the season and the time of day, and thatβs reflected within the spaces.β
On the first floor, she placed a soft muted sage next to a rich forest green to echo the trees and foliage in the landscape, and the hazy shade that settles over the mountains as a summer storm rolls in.
When Griffin and Vivian found Third Street Architecture, they had been house hunting for a while and were certain of one thing: they did not want a white kitchen. Instead, they opted for a forest green that feels warm, inviting, and cozy. The result is colorful but still nods to the homeβs vintage past.
The mudroom is an addition that does double duty as an entrance. βThey knew the house needed a clear entrance, and they saw the mudroom as a space that could stand up to dirt and, in the future, kids running in and out,β Sarah explains, adding, βTheyβre in the mountains, and they have chickens and cats βΒ they need as much utility as possible.β
Despite limitations in the surrounding topography, Third Street Architecture made the most of every inch to create the mudroom. More than a place to drop muddy boots or wet raincoats, the space was designed to feel like its own independent, modern room βΒ integrated but existing outside of the confines of the historic structure.
One of the homeβs more charming features is the original hayloft, now a cozy nook, complete with a slipcovered sofa.
βWe always knew this was going to be a family home, so we made the loft a flexible space,β explains Sarah. βAnd we did things like bring the railing up to code so it can function safely for kids.β
For their primary bedroom, the couple had definite ideas. βGriffin and Vivian wanted a moody, dark room that would wrap you up when you walked into the space,β says Sarah. To accomplish that, the walls were painted a dark forest green, and doors leading directly outside were designed to make it feel like sleeping in a treehouse.
In the primary bathroom, Griffin requested a space that felt like going on vacation. βWe pulled in a terracotta tile to feel like going to Mexico and picked out a fun marble,β says Sarah.
Vivian, on the other hand, wanted to immerse herself in the mountain landscape. βShe just wanted to be able to sit in the tub and look out the window, so we put a window in there.β
In the other bathrooms, Sarah kept the clientsβ playful design personalities top of mind. In one, she let the fun, poppy checkerboard wallpaper sing. In the other, a vibrant checkerboard floor is the standout.
From top to bottom, indoors and out, every detail of this beautiful renovation was designed to capture the essence of this fun-loving, outdoorsy couple. By helping them carve out their quiet piece of life in the mountains, Sarah and her team turned a fixer-upper into a forever home.
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Heather Bien
A Virginia native and professional writer of over 10 years, Heather is passionate about home decor, cooking and entertaining, travel, ballet, and coffee. You can find more of Heather's work in Southern Living, Martha Stewart, The Knot, Apartment Therapy, and Virginia Living.