CARLO Design plans country houses, barn conversions and rural homes in Brandenburg. We first check whether the conversion is allowed, then plan the building work and the interior. In the Brandenburg forest we fully renovated a former barn, An Earthy Cottage. Architecture, interior design and site management come from one team in our studio in Berlin Mitte.
The estate lies deep in the Brandenburg forest and was once a store for farm equipment and hay. Before we had even surveyed it, the aim was clear: inside and out, the house should belong to the woods. The design starts from the existing building: the beams are exposed, and clay and brick walls define the rooms.
We worked with local trades and, where possible, with materials from the region. Today a whole family uses the house, and it is also let as a retreat.
A barn or a stable was not built for living in. Whether and how it may become a home is decided before design, ideally before you buy.
Is the building in a village or in the open countryside, is it on the heritage list, are access and utilities secured? We look at the building and the site and tell you what planning law allows. Open questions of principle can be settled with a preliminary ruling from the building authority.
How we work as architectsStructure, roof, damp, services and heating, plus a layout that suits the old building. We draw the construction plans, obtain quotes and run the site through to acceptance.
Renovation at CARLO DesignMade-to-measure built-ins, kitchen, bathrooms, lighting and furniture for a house that may also be let. At An Earthy Cottage that meant mint-green built-ins, woven textures and plenty of wood.
Furnishing at CARLO DesignIf the barn stands outside the village and was built for a farming or forestry business, section 35 of the Federal Building Code decides whether it may become a home. Inside the village, section 34 applies: the project must fit in with its surroundings.
The conversion must put building fabric worth preserving to appropriate use. What is allowed is a new use for the old building. A new building on the same spot is not covered.
The building must look essentially as it did. We therefore plan openings, roof windows and materials so that the barn still reads as a barn.
The previous use may not have ended more than seven years ago, and the building must have been lawfully built more than seven years ago. It helps if you can document when farming use stopped.
The building must belong spatially and functionally to the farmstead of the business. For residential use, at most five additional homes are allowed per farmstead.
Whoever converts undertakes not to put up a new building to replace the abandoned use, unless the business needs it to develop.
In the countryside the building authority of the district usually decides, together with the heritage authority for a listed building. Brandenburg’s building code changes on 1 January 2027, and we plan to the version that applies to your application.
Then four short questions. We reply within one working day, with no obligation. We speak English, German and Spanish.
A country house in the Brandenburg forest, once a store for farm equipment and hay, now a family home and a rental retreat. We renovated it completely, with exposed beams, clay walls, grass-cloth wallpaper in the bedroom and a kitchen with a farmhouse sink.
View projectAcross our two studios, most of our new work comes through recommendations from past clients. 5.0 stars on Google, 5 reviews for our Berlin studio.
"After speaking with them, I knew I didn't need to look elsewhere. Thrilled with the result, highly recommend."
"They gave us excellent advice and ensured smooth implementation with their craftsmen."
"They quickly grasped my taste, found the perfect products, and arranged appointments."
"Tell us about your property, your timeline, what you are hoping for. We will come to you, listen, and present a concept and a realistic cost estimate, before you commit to anything."
We come to you · One project slot remaining for autumn 2026
