A home is more than a place to live. It is a place to feel safe. Barndominiums feature spacious, flexible floor plans that can accommodate special features to enhance your family’s security, such as a safe room.
In this post, we are going to share some barndominium plans with safe rooms with you to give you an idea of what is possible. First, let’s explain why you might want to include a safe room in your home design, and some key design considerations.
Why Build a Safe Room in a Barndominium?
A safe room is a secure, fortified room inside a home, often hidden. Here are a few reasons why you should think about building one:
- Due to climate change, we are seeing rising severity and frequency of harsh weather events. A safe room can protect your family during a natural disaster.
- Supply chain disruptions due to pandemics, geopolitical instability, and additional factors make it a good idea to stock up on essentials. A safe room is a good place for your food stores as well as other essential survival supplies.
- We are moving into an era where civil unrest is becoming a very real part of our lives. A safe room, especially one that is concealed, can keep your family safe from intruders on your premises.
What to Consider When Designing a Safe Room Floor Plan
Here are some things to think about when you are designing a safe room:
- Secrecy: Decide if you want the safe room to be hidden. This may not be necessary or even useful if your main goal is to use it in case of inclement weather , i.e. a barndo with tornado safe room. But if your main purpose is to protect yourself from intruders or civil unrest, you definitely should make it secret. You want to be hidden, not trapped.
- Access: Even if you opt for a hidden room, it is important for you to be able to access the safe room quickly. In an emergency, you might have mere minutes to get yourself and your family inside. Another aspect of access to consider is your ability to pick up a radio or cell signal from inside the safe room. You do not want to be cut off electronically from the world.
- Fortification: It is common to construct a safe room out of more robust materials than the rest of the home. You should especially consider this if you are in an area subject to earthquakes or storms.
- Comfort: In some scenarios, you might be stuck inside the safe room for days. Ensure it is equipped with what you need to live reasonably comfortably during that time.
- Storage: Make sure that your safe room is large enough to accommodate your family plus the supplies you will need for at least a few days. If your budget allows for it, you might want to stock up for even longer.
Our Favorite Barndo Plans with Secret Rooms
Let’s check out a few barndominium plans that include safe rooms among their features.
Barn Home Plan 85404MS
3 Bed Barndominium Just Under 1900 Square Feet with Parking for 6 Cars
First up, we have a barndominium that measures 1,899 square feet, and includes a single story with 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. The garage can accommodate 5 cars, and is also large enough to function as a workshop, making this barndo a “shop house” or “shouse.”
The central part of the home features the combined kitchen, dining room, and great room. The mudroom is on one side of the house, between these rooms and the garage, while a covered porch is across from it.
To one side of the mudroom, there is a separate, smaller porch. Adjacent to it is a water closet and bathroom, which connects to the primary bedroom. This bedroom, along with the others, has a vaulted ceiling, making it feel luxuriously spacious.
On the opposite side of the home, there is a pair of smaller bedrooms with a connecting bathroom between them. In the corner of the house on the other side of one of the bedrooms is the safe room. There is a door between the safe room and the garage.
The location of the safe room close to the garage and kitchen is convenient for those who want to store food and other supplies. It also makes it quick and easy to access your vehicle and drive away if you need to.
Why You’ll Love It
Some other cool features in this home include a huge kitchen island, and a large walk-in closet in the main bedroom. There is also a section of the garage that is two stories. You could either modify this area by putting in an upstairs, or you could leave it open and enjoy the extra space.
PL-62324 Milford House Plan
4 bedrooms – 3.1 bathrooms – 2 stories – 3-car garage
https://barndominiumplans.com/products/pl-62324-milford-barndominium-house-plan
This floor plan includes 3,713 heated square feet of space. This house features a great room on the ground floor with a vaulted ceiling and a fireplace. On one side of the great room is a kitchen, pantry, and family room, along with a small powder room.
On the other side of the great room is the master bedroom, master bathroom, water closet, master closet, and laundry room. Next to the master bedroom on the other side is the garage, which includes a dedicated shop area. This is also where the safe room is located.
Let’s head upstairs to check out the second floor. The space above the great room is open to below, making for a roomy, airy main living space.
Above the kitchen, pantry and family room, are a loft, plus a bedroom and bathroom. A hallway leads across to the opposite side of the home, where there are two more bedrooms, with an adjoining dressing room and bathroom. There is also a room upstairs for storage above the garage. A staircase leads from the storage room down into the shop area.
Why You’ll Love It
The location of the safe room in the garage is convenient, in case you need to come or go quickly.
The spaciousness of the main living space is also a big draw for this house, as is the inclusion of the loft space, which can serve as a flex room.
Having a section of the garage partitioned for use as a shop may also be a great feature for some homeowners.
Barn Home Plan 400022FTY
3-Bed Barndominium Home Plan with Wrap Around Porch and Playroom
This single-story floor plan includes 2,423 square feet of heated space, 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and room for 6 cars.
The living space features a combined kitchen, dining room, and living room, with a vaulted ceiling over all three. On one side of the house, there are two bedrooms and a bathroom, plus an office. On the other side, there is master bedroom, a playroom, a bathroom, a walk-in closet, and a laundry room. A mudroom connects the kitchen to the garage.
The garage can serve as a shop, making this a shop house like the others in this list. There is a section in one corner for storage, with a bathroom and mechanical room attached. In the very corner of that space, there is a safe room. But the entrance is from the master closet.
Why You’ll Love It
If you want a safe room that isn’t necessarily “hidden,” but unlikely for a random houseguest to stumble on, this floor plan is a good choice.
Those who like spending time outdoors will also appreciate the huge wraparound porch, which spans three sides of the house.
Build Your Barndom with a Safe Room
If you are inspired by the floor plans we have shared with you, you can take the next steps in your own build process. Click on any of the links in this post to visit these companies and buy your plans or request a quote for a customized plan.