Michael and Margaret-Anne were between moves, renting their son’s property at Kurri Kurri in the Hunter Valley and wondering what to do with a hectare of land they had recently purchased in the Mid-Coast region of NSW.
But before they knew it, that empty block was on its way to becoming a complete country homestead built around two matching Cedarspan barns.
And it all began with a flyer that Michael nearly threw away.
“We thought we’d downsize”
Uncertainty becomes potential
Life was in transition for Michael and Margaret-Anne.
Having sold their home in Lake Macquarie, they were renting their son’s property at Kurri Kurri while deciding what the next chapter might look like. They already owned a hectare of land at Stroud, an hour north of Newcastle, but exactly what they would do with it remained unclear.
They knew they wanted to downsize and build something that suited the rural setting. Beyond that, however, they were still exploring their options.
“We were still undecided on what we were going to do with our next move,” Michael tells us.
Then inspiration arrived in an unlikely place.
“I usually don’t look at so-called junk mail,” Michael admits, “But for some reason, the image on the front of this flyer of an unusually styled building caught my eye”.
The building was a Cedarspan.
“I immediately thought that this is worth having a look at,” he recalls. “Could this be what we’ve been looking for?”
Curious, Michael began exploring the range on the Greenspan website, researching the various sizes, designs and possibilities before he’d even mentioned it to Margaret-Anne.
The Cedarspan’s barn-inspired architecture was ideal for their rural land.
“A perfect choice for our one hectare block. After all, it was a great design and would blend nicely into the countryside,” says Michael.
The more he explored, the more convinced he became. And when he finally shared his discovery with Margaret-Anne, she was immediately on board.
What began as a casual glance at a flyer that he would normally have discarded quickly became something much more serious.
A barn shed and a barn home
The next step was a meeting with one of Greenspan’s Design Solutioneers.
Although not necessary – the entire process can be completed virtually – the couple decided to make the journey from the Hunter Valley to Sydney.
“Luckily we did, as the experience was made very easy,” Michael recalls.
And what began as a conversation about a new home soon evolved into something much bigger.
“Before long, we had a barn-style shed and a barn-style home and were very pleased and excited,” he says.
Rather than simply building a home, the couple began planning a cohesive country homestead. The flexibility of the Cedarspan range allowed them to think beyond a single building and create an entire lifestyle property that would support not only how they wanted to live now, but how they might use the land in years to come.
Just as importantly, it opened up a practical pathway to getting there.
By building their barn shed first, they could live on their land while their home was completed. As owner-builders, that was a significant advantage. Instead of commuting back and forth from temporary accommodation, they could be on site every day, watching the country lifestyle they had set out to create take shape around them, while playing an active role in bringing it to life.
The foundation is laid
Before work began on their barn home, attention turned to the shed – a Cedarspan 3060, intended from the outset to be far more than just a garage and a place to store tools. Instead, it was the foundation from which their country homestead and longed-for lifestyle would grow.
Built on a concrete slab to allow vehicle access, it was designed to be a detached garage and workshop. One that matched the future home, while serving an immediate practical purpose.
Somewhere to live.
Like all Cedarspans, the two barns were PreCrafted offsite in our Sydney factory, a process that took just a few weeks to complete. They were then delivered to the couple’s site as a set of modular, preassembled panels, ready to be installed to lock-up stage – also a rapid process, usually completed in less than a week.
This speed was invaluable to Michael and Margaret-Anne.
Because, rather than waiting months before they could begin enjoying their property, the couple were able to move on site almost immediately. By building the garage first, they established a comfortable base from which to live, while the main residence gradually took shape beside it.
And because they were taking an owner-builder approach, that flexibility was particularly important. With temporary accommodation already in place, there was no pressure to rush the fit-out of the home. Instead, they could take their time, tackling elements of the project themselves and enjoying the process of transforming an empty block into the country homestead of their dreams.
A garage and workshop… and temporary home
This first barn worked hard from day one.
A Cedarspan 3060, measuring 5.6m x 10.8m, its primary purpose was as a garage and workshop. But by thoughtfully fitting out the interior at this stage, it served as a highly functional temporary home, while providing plenty of potential for future possibilities.
Two sets of beautiful handcrafted barn doors – one to the gable end, another to the side – allow vehicle access to the inside while delivering the timeless rural character that first attracted the couple to the design. A side verandah enhances the country appeal and provides everyday access via a matching pedestrian barn door.
Inside, Michael and Margaret-Anne added a loft measuring 3.6m x 5.4m for additional storage. Beneath it, partition walls create a combined bathroom and laundry, a home office, and a kitchenette. A wood-burning stove placed at the heart of this area provides a warm and welcoming spot to relax after a hard day’s work.
With solar panels fitted to the roof providing power, and rainwater tanks harvesting and storing water, the couple had everything they needed to begin life on their property. By parking their camper trailer in the garage space, they had a fully self-contained set-up from which to live comfortably, while completing their permanent home at their own pace.
What began as a temporary home remains an important part of the property today and continues to offer exciting possibilities for the future. Margaret-Anne has dreams of one day – maybe – turning this loft barn into a B&B or guest accommodation; something that will be easy to achieve with the infrastructure already in place. For now, however, they are perfectly content for it to remain the garage, workshop and home office that helped make their country lifestyle possible in the first place.
The heart of the property… and a labour of love
With the first barn established and life on the property underway, Michael and Margaret-Anne could finally turn their attention to the home they had imagined from the very beginning.
This was the centrepiece of the vision that had first formed the day that fateful flyer landed in their mailbox.
Their chosen design was a Cedarspan 3090 measuring 5.6m x 16.3m. Larger than the garage and set on a pier-mounted floor system, it has a subtle commanding presence next to its counterpart, embracing the rural landscape with elevated verandahs on each side.
The couple wanted to play an active role in bringing their home to life. So, unlike the garage, which had been built primarily for functionality and speed, this next stage developed at a deliberately slower pace. After all, this was not just a home – it was a labour of love.
The deck framing was supplied as part of the building, but Michael and Margaret-Anne chose to install composite decking boards and add balustrades themselves. They also completed a number of finishing touches, including painting the exterior of both barns in the soft grey tone that now sits so comfortably within the landscape.
Living on site gave the couple the freedom to take their time and enjoy the process. Without rent to pay, and no pressure to rush decisions or settle for shortcuts, they could work steadily, adding their own ideas, skills and personal touches as the project evolved.
Piece by piece, day by day, their beautiful barn home began to take shape.
Cleverly completed for country living
Inside, the layout has been carefully planned to balance openness, light, comfort and functionality.
At one end sits the master suite; a private retreat complete with extensive built-in storage and an ensuite. The bedroom makes the most of the full height of the barn’s roofline, while a lowered ceiling in the bathroom creates a more intimate and cosy space, and cleverly conceals services and ducting.
Adjacent, and at the heart of the home, is an open-plan living area flooded with natural light that showcases the dramatic height and volume created by the cathedral ceiling. Sliding doors flanked by panoramic windows sit on opposite sides of the room, welcoming cooling breezes, framing the views, and seamlessly extending indoor living onto the two verandahs.
A fully fitted kitchen sits beneath the end of the loft, where the lowered ceiling and island bench create a defined zone, subtly distinguishing it from the living area without interrupting the open-plan feel. With the main bathroom located adjacent, a natural transition is formed to the other end of the barn, where the second bedroom and a laundry/boot room entry are positioned.
Above this end of the home is the generous 5.4m x 5.4m loft. Accessed from the second bedroom via a pull-down ladder, it provides valuable additional storage space while its open balustrade and skylight windows bring natural light and an airy feel to the living area below.
It’s a thoughtful and clever floorplan that makes efficient use of every square metre, while maintaining the spacious, airy character that makes barn living so appealing.
The couple also incorporated a number of practical upgrades suited to rural living, including Low-E double glazing and bushfire protection measures. Combined with generous insulation throughout, the result is a home that remains comfortable and protected year-round despite the changing seasons.
More importantly, it is a home that is unmistakably theirs – full of character, inside and out.
Two barns, one complete country homestead
Today, these two Cedarspans sit cohesively together, side by side, matching yet maintaining their own identities.
Each features board and batten cladding, white windows and Colorbond roofing in “Surfmist”. The exterior of each has been painted in the earthy grey of Taubmans “Foxtail” – Michael and Margaret-Anne having been inspired by another Greenspan customer’s project with the same colour, featured on our website.
The cross bracing and framing of the barn doors have been accentuated in white, highlighting their classic country charm and matching the white frames of the windows. The verandah posts also add white trim to each, and naturally, the aluminium doors of the home do the same.
They thought they were just downsizing. But what they ended up doing was something far greater. They created a complete country lifestyle, with one simple building design, one barn at a time.
“We have made our Cedarspan a home to live in full time,” Michael tells us. “Margaret-Anne and I have now settled into our new home and have no regrets.”
“We love it,” Margaret-Anne agrees.
In fact, there seems to be no doubt they would do it all over again.
“We certainly have enjoyed the experience of being an owner-builder,” Michael states. “The Greenspan team are a great bunch of dedicated people and are great to deal with. Highly recommend them.”
It’s remarkable to think that none of it might have happened at all if Michael hadn’t taken a second look at that flyer. No barns. No homestead. No country lifestyle built by their own hands. Just a block of land and a couple still wondering what came next.
Instead, the flyer he almost binned became the beginning of everything: a complete country homestead, built one barn at a time.
Buildings are supplied ready for installation to lock-up stage.
Painting, fixtures, and finishes, including the internal layout,
arranged by the customer.
Home
| Design | Cedarspan 3090 |
| Size | 5.6m x 16.3m |
| Add-ons | 5.4m x 5.4m loft |
| Cladding | Board and batten |
| Doors | White aluminium |
| Windows | White aluminium |
| Roofing | Surfmist Colorbond® |
Garage
| Design | Cedarspan 3060 |
| Size | 5.6m x 10.8m |
| Add-ons | 3.6m x 5.4m loft 1.8m x 10.8m verandah |
| Cladding | Board and batten |
| Doors | Handcrafted barn doors |
| Windows | White aluminium |
| Roofing | Surfmist Colorbond® |
All measurements are approximate.
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