By Nancy Twigg

The theme of contrasts that characterizes the old Toad Hill Farm apple orchard on Barlow Hill Road is recognizable from the entrance to the gravel driveway. The remodeled home on the property is a renovated century-old barn located on over two acres of beautiful farmland, both visible from busy State Route 8.

Present-day amenities are juxtaposed against the original workmanship of the century-old structures. The floor throughout the main living space and gourmet kitchen is the original wood barn floor, but the family room boasts a new stone fireplace and a built-in plasma television.

Pamela Bayer, a designer and general contractor, renovated the barn using one of her favorite design styles: traditional, infused with contemporary flair. It is a design style that further supports the theme of the entire renovation undertaking. Bayer relocated her design business, Pamela Bayer Interiors, to Hudson from New York last year when her husband, Ralph, was transferred. Pamela's office is now located in the former horse stable behind their home, another structure where Bayer's design expertise is now evident.

"We wanted our home to be a fun place," Pamela says of the renovated barn. The design and structural contrasts help to make the home fun. However, the home was definitely not a fun place when the couple purchased it last year. The barn had been turned into a home in 1970, but this first transformation divided the barn with walls that made the rooms small and confining. In addition to a rabbit warren-like maze of rooms, Pamela was dealing with the remnants of actual rabbits; the previous owners housed rabbits indoors, in a carpeted space that is now the master bedroom.

Since Pamela bought the property last year, the barn house has undergone a complete transformation. Pamela gutted the home, removed the interior walls that were erected in the 1970 remodeling, and opened the floor plan to take full advantage of the lofty barn ceilings.

Pamela did some of the work herself. She tore out all of the carpeting in the home, including that which was in the former rabbit hutch. Local craftsmen, including one who restored the original wood barn floor to its natural beauty by removing layers of black paint, did some of the work.

Moving to Hudson has been a "culture shock," according to Bayer. She admires how hard-working the people of northeast Ohio are, and how frequently she's been treated like family. To that end, Pamela has recently partnered with Lindsey Construction and Design, one of the local companies she hired to work with her on the renovation of her home.

Guests who visit Pamela at her office now are first treated to a tour of her home. "Come to my house, see what I have done architecturally, then come down to my office and we will talk about what your house should look like." Many guests say they want their homes to have the study-in-contrast look that defines the Toad Hill Farm.

To see more of the photos of the Toad Hill Farm renovation, or to learn more about Pamela Bayer Interiors, go to pamelabayer.com.