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“I knew that if the structure was done right, it would look like it had always been there,

Courtesy of La Firme

The interior glows like a lantern at night, as does the new backyard pool.

A couple renovated an old farmhouse in Quebec to serve as their vacation home—and didn’t stop there. They looked to the old dilapidated barn on the property, and transformed it into a sprawling 4,500-square-foot guest house for their adult children.

An oversize window in a bedroom offers views of the Sutton Mountains.

A view of the contrasting stairs that lead down to the main floor.

Looking down from the upstairs loft, the original post and beam structure defines the grand open space.

Looking from the dining area, wood cladding extends from the entryway ceiling up to railings in a second floor loft.

A thin wall of glass divides the entrance from a recreation area in one corner of the main floor.

Near the kitchen a stairwell leads down to the basement and a side patio.

A view looking from the kitchen to the open family room, which is outfitted with sofas by Perez Furniture. Above, interior windows in the upstairs bedrooms look out onto the double-height dining area and a view out of the giant window wall.

The interior utilizes mixes of wood, glass, and stone for a clean, modern look. Refrigerator drawers are concealed in the island to help keep sightlines open throughout the space.

Inside, rustic elements (like wood beams and whitewashed wood) nod to the structure’s former life, while walls of glass, black metal accents, and sleek furnishings give it a fresh, new look. After the renovation, the couple loved the guesthouse so much they decided to make it their full-time dwelling.

Timber beams are evident throughout. “The original post-and-beam structure was taken down, numbered, and reused within the new shell,” says Béliveau.

A grand space greets visitors when they first enter the home. The living room and kitchen are tucked on either side of a central dining area, which features a 35-foot-high wall of glass.

A wood bridge leads to the second-floor entry of the converted barn, which now offers 4,500-square feet of clean, modern interior space. The cladding is local hemlock spruce, the same local wood that was originally used to build the barn.

The barn when Christian Élie and Marie Guillemette first bought their farm in Quebec.

You can buy just about anything on Amazon these days, from mundane household necessities to garish novelty items—and now, there are even DIY kits to help you construct your own tiny guest house, shed, office, or lounge. Take a look at the prefabricated units Amazon has to offer, and get ready to upgrade your backyard.

Jody’s favorite spot is outside on the deck. “I spend most of my time there. We’ve got two braais, and I braai just about every night,” he says, using the Afrikaans word for barbecue. “It’s not about the food for me,” he adds, “It’s about standing around the fire.” The platform sofas were designed by Scott, the dining table is by James Mudge Furniture Studio, and the Hee lounge and dining chairs are by Hay.