barndominium

A barndominium, also known as a barndo, is a metal pole barn, post-frame or barn-like structure with sheet metal siding that has been partially or fully converted into a furnished home or living area. Barndominium designs can include structural conversion into a full home, whereby the entire interior consists of a living area, and partial conversions, whereby part of the space is used for living and part is used for other purposes, such as a workshop, garage space, for storage or as an animal pen. Some barndominiums double as both a residence and as a place of business. The term barndominium was originally coined by Karl Nilsen, who was a real estate developer in Connecticut. Barndominium is derived from using a combination of the words "barn" and "condominium". The original use of the phrase referred to a master-planned development that centered on living near horses. The term was then readopted in the mid-2000s to refer to metal homes that were used as a primary residence.