The sweet, natural scent of hay. Sunshine dancing across the wood-paneled stalls. The The sweet, natural scent of hay. Sunshine dancing across the wood-paneled stalls. The snorted greetings of happy horses. For equestrians, walking into the barn feels like coming home, which is why on a horse property, a barn’s design is as important as that of the family residence.
Whether you’re looking to house a few family horses or to train champions, the aesthetic of a barn doesn’t need to be sacrificed for its utility. Here’s a look at some of the most beautiful barns in Rancho Santa Fe.
1. Willow Creek Estancia’s Main Barn
Light and bright with wide aisles, the 27-stall main barn is the true centerpiece of this serene Rancho Santa Fe paradise. Each of the spacious stalls has its own skylight and Dutch door looking out onto the perfectly manicured lawn lined with hedges, flower beds and palm trees. The exterior contrasts multiple shades of gray stone masonry with wide white vertical wood panels, natural hued wood window and French door frames, and a terracotta Spanish-tiled roof for an effect that is uniquely Southern Californian craftsman. The interior is just as aesthetically pleasing with a light cathedral wood ceiling lined with clerestory windows and dark wood and iron sliding doors for the stalls.
However, beauty is just the practical space that worked into the barn’s design. Garage-size barn doors are large enough for a truck to drive down the aisle for convenient feeding and However, the beauty of the space merely complements the more important practicality of barn’s design. Garage-size barn doors are large enough for a truck to drive down the aisle for convenient feeding and stall cleaning. Additionally, one wing of the barn with its gray cement brick floor opens up to a farrier and grooming space which includes ties for multiple horses, wash hoses dangling from the ceiling, shelves and storage for tools and products, as well as tack hooks away from the splash zone. This exquisite Rancho Santa Fe barn has everything a horse needs to stay happy and healthy.
Plus, it has quite a few perks for people too! In addition to housing horses, this uniquely designed Rancho Santa Fe masterpiece encompasses offices and an owner’s apartment. Sharing the wood-paneling and clerestory windows of the equestrian space, the guest quarters include a kitchen, living room, library/office and upstairs master bedroom with fireplace. Hardwood floors, built-in natural wood shelving and wrought-iron light fixtures accentuate the easy flow of the open floor plan.
2. The Scripps’ Barn
The rich mahogany-hued wood of this luxurious Rancho Santa Fe horse residence and attached rider’s saloon with its glossy sheen, clerestory windows, and classic light fixtures gives it an air of Hollywood romance. The barn’s exterior matches the craftsman-style of the main home with its complementary apache stonework set against the dark wood, smoothly blending together indoor and outdoor spaces within the verdant natural setting of the surrounding landscape.
With six extra-large in-and-out stalls with spacious paddocks, this state-of-the-art barn includes high-tech features including auto-fill water troughs with electronic meters to measure each horse’s water intake, a security system with cameras and motion sensor With six extra-large in-and-out stalls with spacious paddocks, this state-of-the-art barn includes high-tech features including auto-fill water troughs with electronic meters to measure each horse’s water intake, a security system with cameras and motion sensor alarms, Lutron lighting and a Crestron ipad for controlling the tv and music in the lounge. Other practical amenities of this 3,744 SF home for horses include indoor and outdoor washing areas with ties, two feed rooms, a tack room, and a laundry room with commercial washer and dryer.
The bThe best part for humans, however, is the entertaining space! Attached to the barn, the saloon and kitchen features lift and slide doors onto a covered patio with a fireplace and barbecue for indoor/outdoor social gatherings. The lounge includes a full bar with seating, an oven, refrigerator, microwave, and Jack and Jill bathroom — so the fun can continue long after returning from riding the extensive network of Rancho Santa Fe trails!
3. Willow Creek Estancia’s Family Barn
Reminiscent of a mission chapel, the open wood-beamed ceiling of this picturesque Rancho Santa Fe barn creates a striking contrast to the smooth white stucco walls as the sun streams through the rectangular clerestory windows that line its steeple-like roof. Housing four in-and-out stalls and three interior stalls, all with Dutch-style doors along the center aisle, as Reminiscent of a mission chapel, the open wood-beamed ceiling of this picturesque Rancho Santa Fe barn creates a striking contrast to the smooth white stucco walls as the sun streams through the rectangular clerestory windows that line its steeple-like roof. Housing four in-and-out stalls and three interior stalls, all with Dutch-style doors along the center aisle, as well as a tack room, the stalls are light and airy with space for the horses to walk around. For human inhabitants, the barn also offers a luxurious guest suite with a private patio and gardens. Referred to as the family barn, it sits close to the main home and shares the aesthetic of the Spanish-style adobe with red-tiled roof, creating a natural cohesiveness to the estate.
Each of these barns features a unique style incorporating consideration of not only the Each of these barns features a unique style incorporating a consideration of not only the practical side of the care and well-being of the horses that inhabit them, but also the timelessness of artistic appeal. Located in the Rancho Santa Fe Covenant with access to over 50 miles of trails, these horse properties represent the epitome of life in the “Ranch” where luxury meets simplicity and city convenience meets country calm.
To learn more about horse properties for sale in Rancho Santa Fe, California, call Cathy Gilchrist-Colmar or Patricia Kramer.