Renovating barns into houses is not as popular today as it was 40 years ago. Barn interiors have large empty spaces that are not practical living areas, according to architects.

"The sheer volume of the actual construction of a barn is so much height," Architect Paul R. Johnson of Austin said. "You can actually play basketball in a barn, as the ceilings may be 12 feet high. You don't see many people renovating old barns into houses anymore."

Not many people can afford to modify an old barn into a living area. Re-roofing a barn can cost up to $130,000, compared to the $7,000 that it may cost to re-roof a house.

Johnson acknowledges that barns are quickly becoming buildings of the past. The wood in barns can be recycled and used creatively in another building. The trusses alone can be sold for recycling, adding warmth and character to a new building.

Bev Groh of Austin, lives in a 1935 renovated barn. To find out how she found her barn house and fell in love with it, click on 'Living.’