A Traditional Barn House Beauty in the Georgia Countryside Reminds Guests to Enjoy the Slower Pace of Life

Years in the making, a barn house located outside of Madison, Georgia, finally became a reality for an outdoor-loving family. It was designed and built by Southern Landscape Designs alongside Liz Williams Interiors.

A painting by Aaron Hazel holds court in the living room. It was purchased by the husband and served as a starting point for the home’s design. Other special pieces include an antique walnut buffet from WebbMarstellar and tree trunk lamp from Joseph Konrad.

Botanical patterns call to the region’s vernacular. Fabrics are sourced from Ainsworth-Noah and Fabricut.

A painting by Kay Flierl through Gregg Irby Gallery nods to rural life in the primary bath.

Inside the primary bedroom, Williams created a calm oasis through a palette of soft blues and greens. Texture is introduced through a wicker chair found at Acquisitions.

Perfectly sized for weekend getaways, the petite kitchen also doubles as the breakfast room. Williams’ search for furnishings to match the room’s slender proportions led her to antique ladder-back chairs from Chairish and a scrubbed English pine table from Acquisitions. Café curtains featuring an Anna French fabric frame views to the outdoors while a Visual Comfort & Co. chandelier illuminates the space.

The home’s front door opens directly into the kitchen and living room, so Williams opted to keep the walls and cabinets the same color to create a visual sense of ease. Paintings from Gregg Irby Gallery encapsulate the home’s surroundings.

The home’s front door opens directly into the kitchen and living room, so Williams opted to keep the walls and cabinets the same color to create a visual sense of ease. Paintings from Gregg Irby Gallery encapsulate the home’s surroundings.

A playful Schumacher pillow fabric depicting field dogs inspired the bunkroom’s earthy scheme. Along the back wall, a Phillips Scott chest offers extra storage and a Joseph Konrad lamp is enhanced with a jute shade from Edgar-Reeves.

The mudroom was designed to stand up to muddy paws and boots. A custom coat rack and antique bench from Foxglove Antiques & Galleries also add to the room’s character.

Most meals are enjoyed near the outdoor grill. The custom picnic table and benches were made by the builder.

Furnishings from Atlanta Home & Patio outfit the neighboring outdoor space, accented with pillows from Huff Harrington Home. Just beyond, another barn-like structure holds a tractor and other farming equipment personally used by the family for maintenance around the land.

The firepit is a popular spot for unwinding at the day’s end.

Every time a young couple from Madison, Georgia, spent time on their rural plot of land just outside town, they made mental notes. Because while living on Madison’s idyllic Main Street provided no shortage of charm and convenience, they found themselves increasingly drawn to an even slower and quieter pace of life.

So one day, the couple sat down at the kitchen table of their in-town home and began sketching on the back of a napkin. It was a cabin, inspired by ideas gathered over years spent enjoying the land—from fishing and hunting with their children to hosting family gatherings.

After making tweaks and revisions of their initial concept with builder Southern Landscape Designs—who also designed the outdoor area—the final plans called for a larger barn house that could eventually serve as guest quarters if the family decided to transition to the countryside
full time.

“They weren’t ready to pull the trigger just yet, so they decided to start with this as sort of a test run,” says interior designer Liz Williams, who previously worked with the couple on their Madison home. For this country retreat, Williams was tasked with creating a classic and comfortable scheme that honored the home’s surroundings. “We wanted it to feel like an old barn that’s been thoughtfully restored, not a new structure just plopped down on the land,” she says.

To that end, the home’s simple, rustic exterior features traditional board-and-batten wood siding with a lower stone surround. A tin roof and pine green front door further enhance the aesthetic. But upon entering, a fresher take on country living awaits.

Taking cues from the colors of a vibrant Western painting purchased early on in the project, Williams sprinkled its palette of teals and browns as accents against the home’s airy white backdrop. Clean lines also mix comfortably with the character of antique furnishings throughout. “Their in-town home is traditional in style, and while we kept that essence here, we also let a kick-back-and-relax feel guide us,” says Williams. After all, she notes, they’re here to unwind.

As the weather warms up, the back of the barn house is a prime spot for exactly that. The expansive outdoor seating area has played host to many barbecues and impromptu dinners, and the nearby firepit is a guest favorite for s’mores and nightcaps with the wide-open night sky above. While the couple and their children continue to split time between the country and city for now, moments like these surely make the prospect of shifting to life off the beaten path full time an alluring notion.

INTERIOR DESIGN Liz Williams, Liz Williams Interiors, (404) 256-1333; lizwilliamsinteriors.com BUILDER Southern Landscape Designs, (470) 272-5333; southernlandscapedesigns.com