A Barn is Transformed into a Home That's Perfect for Entertaining

Trellises designed by Igor Jozsa were constructed from cedar sourced from the property. The chicken coop is an original design by architect Janet Cross. The yellow and red marigolds bordering the trellis are Queen Sophia and match the yellow and red tomato varieties (Kellogg’s Breakfast and Roman Candle) growing on the trellises

An antique kitchen table is surrounded by French early 20th-century chairs from Conran’s. The backsplash behind the Viking stove is made of statuary marble; countertops are black granite.

Vines climb up an arbor over a table covered with heirloom tomatoes and green beans.

Sunflowers and dahlias line a backyard fence. A view of the tower addition is in the background.

Pamela Page’s three favorite varieties of heirloom pole beans (Goldmarie Romano, Trionfo Violetto and Kentucky Wonder) are in the green bowl and have been tossed with olive oil, anchovies, sea salt and lemon rind, ready to be baked in the oven—a classic Italian dish. On the yellow plate, very thin slices of Chinese watermelon radish, garnished with edible nasturtium leaves and flowers, sprinkled with sea salt, lemon and olive oil, an appetizer. The two baskets contain approximately 10 varieties of heirloom tomatoes that will be served on pizza.

English ladder-back chairs from Royal Antiques in New Orleans surround a custom table made from repurposed New Orleans barge-board wood from 150-plus-year-old barges. Old Imari china is by Royal Crown Derby.

Fresh tomatoes are halved, sprinkled with olive oil and sea salt and oven roasted at 250 degrees for several hours.

Tables from Blue Dot and bistro chairs from John Derian are perfect for inside-outside dining in the screened-in porch. Candelabras are from Conran’s.

In the living room, an antique Murano glass chandelier by Venini hangs above a Barcelona coffee table by Mies van der Rohe. Sofas are custom made in Milan. Pillows are covered in antique grain sack fabric from John Derian. Artwork includes a portrait by photographer Seydou Keita and a map of Italy by Michelangelo Pistoletto on the fireplace. Vases are by Frances Palmer.

The vine growing on the Better Barns garden shed is an heirloom pumpkin called Musque de Provence—a mainstay in the south of France, it produces 10- to 20-pound pumpkins with an unusual floral taste.