“Well,” Darin Sims said, “it all started as a barn workshop. But…”
“… It kind of got out of control,” Tracy Sims finished.
Darin and Tracy reside in Anniston’s Choccolocco Valley area. Follow the winding roads through peaceful neighborhoods and past open fields, and you’ll eventually arrive at their seven-acre property, where the latest addition to the picturesque land is a stunning barndominium (that’s barn + condominium, “barndo” for short).
What began as a future workshop for Darin soon evolved into a full-fledged living space. With the help of local interior designer Scott Skinner, the couple ended up creating a spacethat combines the traditional charm of a barndo (think sturdy wooden accents and warm earthy tones) with the whimsy of a colorful apartment (think vibrant painted ceilings and dazzling koi fish wallpaper).
“My son and daughter-in-law were getting married,” Darin said. “My daughter-in-law says, ‘You know, I’ve always wanted a barn wedding.’ And I’m like, ‘Well, you know, we’re building one.’ Then Scott got involved and it became an upstairs apartment. And since you’ve got an apartment upstairs, you’ve gotta have a kitchen. The more they talked, the smaller my workshop got,” he joked.
Located just off to the side of their main house, the barndo is a two-floor structure that features two bedrooms, two baths, a full kitchen, an outdoor grilling area and a patio. Construction took place around the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the goal was to have everything finished in time for their son Garrett’s wedding, set for April 2021.
The front door of the barndominium opens right into the living room area.
The front door of the barndominium opens right into the living room area.
The front door of the barndominium opens right into the living room area.
A bathroom off the living room. The walk-in shower was originally meant to be a dog washing station in Darin’s workshop. The sink counter is pecan wood.
The patio features plenty of seating for entertaining guests.
Darin custom-built the massive kitchen table with pecan wood. The ceiling beams were done by an acquaintance of his who has a saw mill. ‘These were about $110 a piece, so that’s only $600 worth of material up there,’ Darin said. ‘Buying retail, you’d pay that much for just one of them.’
Sliding barn doors lead to the pantry, where canned vegetables from the garden and honey from Darin’s bees are stored. Darin built the shelving here as well.
A sliding barn door leads to the shower in the upstairs bathroom.
Darin custom-built the massive kitchen table with pecan wood. The ceiling beams were done by an acquaintance of his who has a saw mill. ‘These were about $110 a piece, so that’s only $600 worth of material up there,’ Darin said. ‘Buying retail, you’d pay that much for just one of them.’
The double bedroom overlooks the back of the property. Colorful insect-themed artwork lines the walls and matches the bedspreads.
Scott Skinner was able to find cobra door handles at Tracy’s request.
An accent wall in the upstairs hallway features stunning koi fish print wallpaper. ‘That was totally Scott’s idea,’ Tracy said. ‘We love Japan, so he incorporated that.’
Scott Skinner was able to find cobra door handles at Tracy’s request.
What used to be a yoga and meditation room for Tracy is now an extra bedroom for Airbnb renters. But the atmosphere is still plenty zen with its soft lighting and happy pops of color, including green armchairs and the saffron yellow ceiling.
The two-floor barndominium features two bedrooms, two baths, a full kitchen, an outdoor grilling area and a patio.
Darin and Tracy Sims currently have the barn listed on Airbnb for rent.
Darin and Tracy Sims currently have the barn listed on Airbnb for rent.
The front door of the barndominium opens right into the living room area.
The front door of the barndominium opens right into the living room area.
The front door of the barndominium opens right into the living room area.
A bathroom off the living room. The walk-in shower was originally meant to be a dog washing station in Darin’s workshop. The sink counter is pecan wood.
The patio features plenty of seating for entertaining guests.
Darin custom-built the massive kitchen table with pecan wood. The ceiling beams were done by an acquaintance of his who has a saw mill. ‘These were about $110 a piece, so that’s only $600 worth of material up there,’ Darin said. ‘Buying retail, you’d pay that much for just one of them.’
Sliding barn doors lead to the pantry, where canned vegetables from the garden and honey from Darin’s bees are stored. Darin built the shelving here as well.
A sliding barn door leads to the shower in the upstairs bathroom.
Darin custom-built the massive kitchen table with pecan wood. The ceiling beams were done by an acquaintance of his who has a saw mill. ‘These were about $110 a piece, so that’s only $600 worth of material up there,’ Darin said. ‘Buying retail, you’d pay that much for just one of them.’
The double bedroom overlooks the back of the property. Colorful insect-themed artwork lines the walls and matches the bedspreads.
Scott Skinner was able to find cobra door handles at Tracy’s request.
An accent wall in the upstairs hallway features stunning koi fish print wallpaper. ‘That was totally Scott’s idea,’ Tracy said. ‘We love Japan, so he incorporated that.’
Scott Skinner was able to find cobra door handles at Tracy’s request.
What used to be a yoga and meditation room for Tracy is now an extra bedroom for Airbnb renters. But the atmosphere is still plenty zen with its soft lighting and happy pops of color, including green armchairs and the saffron yellow ceiling.
The two-floor barndominium features two bedrooms, two baths, a full kitchen, an outdoor grilling area and a patio.
Darin and Tracy Sims currently have the barn listed on Airbnb for rent.
Darin and Tracy Sims currently have the barn listed on Airbnb for rent.
“We were lucky,” Tracy said. “We got this in right before prices went through the roof. It would probably cost 20 or 30 percent more now. Toward the tail end of it, it was taking a long time to get the furniture that we ordered. But we got everything done just in the nick of time.”
The barn’s decor and furniture is a mix of pieces the couple already had, pieces they picked out themselves and pieces Skinner picked out according to what he thought they might like — some of which were inspired by the couple’s travels.
“That’s what’s so great about him,” Tracy said. “He does it according to your taste.”
The Sims, who both work for Pinnacle Research Group conducting clinical drug studies, bought their home in 2017 after seeing it while on a bike ride. In addition to the new barndo, the property boasts a vegetable garden, a greenhouse, a beekeeping area where Darin makes his own honey, and a breathtaking view of the Appalachian foothills. There’s plenty of room for their two dogs — Lucy and Mollie — to run around, play and rendezvous with other neighborhood pups on the property.
While it has served them for personal usage and for their own guests, the Sims recently decided to list the barndo on Airbnb for travelers to rent out. The day after the listing went up, they got their first booking.
“We’re like, ‘Wait, we still have our stuff in there!’” Tracy said. “It’s been busy nonstop. You wouldn’t think Anniston is a destination, but apparently it is.”
“We thought we’d put it out there and someone would eventually find it, but they found it within a couple minutes,” Darin said. “We got a couple attorneys coming to stay for like nine days because of the new federal courthouse. It’s interesting because we learn a lot about the people who come stay here.”
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