Andover Makeover

The Barn at Perona Farms

On May 14, 2014

Perona Farms is nearly 100 years old. Fourth generation owners, the Avondoglios, are as actively involved and as on top of guests’ needs at the popular Sussex County dining and event venue in the heart of New Jersey’s dairy country as was founder Emil Perona.

Built in 1931, The Barn at Perona Farms was used as a dairy barn until 1964. The nearly $500,000 in renovations to The Barn began in September 2012 and were completed in April 2013. The Avondoglio family worked tirelessly to ensure that the original architecture was preserved and remained a focal point while creating a wedding venue with rustic ambiance.

Today, The Barn at Perona Farms is a favorite among brides and grooms for its gorgeous architecture and unique features, as well as for the traditional quality of Perona Farms’ food and service.

The downstairs cocktail hour setting features rustic décor with a touch of country elegance, showcasing a handsome red elm bar, locally made oak tables with restored milk cans as seats, and a wall of light-inundated barn-style windows. The upstairs reception area is set with custom-made live edge poplar tables and uplighting that emphasizes the original structural design of The Barn’s cathedral-style ceiling.

The materials used for the project were all locally sourced. The wood used for the custom-made tables was hand picked from the Monkey Mill in Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania; the milk cans and tractor seats were purchased from local antique stores and retailers; the church pews were bought from a church in Whitestone, New York, and the red leather banquette couch is a treasure from the popular and now gone Llewellyn Farms restaurant in Morris Plains. The contractor utilized only local electricians, plumbers, carpenters, lighting specialists and other subcontractors.
Perona Farms has long been a popular venue for local events and host of benefit dinners.

Once the renovation was completed, it began supplementing its full-time staff of 30 with part-time employees to work the The Barn’s weddings and other events.

ARCHITECT
Charles Schaffer Associates LLC
Newton

BUILDER
Master Construction LLC
Branchville

FINANCE ENTITY
Lakeland Bank
Sparta

NOMINATOR
Tammie Horsfield, President
Sussex County Chamber of Commerce

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