Rustic By Design
How American Stalls and Acevedo Construction Balanced Equine Living, Entertaining, and Fire-Safe Craftsmanship in Rancho Santa Fe
By Lindsay Hunter
Photos by Brandon Beechler Photography
In Rancho Santa Fe — where sprawling Mediterranean estates, elegant ranch compounds, and equestrian properties define one of Southern California’s most distinctive luxury communities — architecture often reflects a refined countryside aesthetic rather than overt glamour. It’s a place where natural materials, timeless craftsmanship, and a connection to the land carry as much importance as scale or spectacle.
That setting made the recently completed barn by American Stalls and Acevedo Construction a particularly fitting addition to the property. Designed as both a sophisticated entertaining space and a functioning barn for horses, the project required far more than simply creating a beautiful “party barn.” The challenge was developing a structure that could accommodate gatherings and hospitality while still prioritizing equine comfort, safety, and functionality.
At the same time, the project demanded an extraordinary level of craftsmanship behind the scenes. Because the property sits within a high fire zone, many of the materials and construction methods had to meet strict fire safety requirements — all while preserving the warm, aged character the client envisioned. The result is a barn that feels authentic and timeless, despite the highly technical planning required to achieve it.
For both teams, that balance between aesthetics, performance, and functionality began long before construction started. “We were brought in very early — while it was still in the client’s ‘dream phase,’” says Acevedo Construction founder Joe Acevedo. “That was extra special for us. Being involved from the very beginning allowed us to help shape the vision instead of just executing someone else’s plan.”
That early collaboration became foundational to the project’s success. Long before construction began, the teams worked alongside the client to determine how the structure would function, evolve, and ultimately feel. “The client was initially unsure whether this barn would be a functioning barn or if they would build a separate structure for their horses,” explains Yash Balasaria, CEO of American Stalls.
“As the project evolved, they decided to house their horses in the stall portion of the barn. So we worked hand-in-hand with Joe and the client to meet their needs from both an entertainment standpoint and a functioning barn standpoint,” Balasaria explains.
Rather than treating those two purposes as competing priorities, both teams approached the barn as a cohesive lifestyle environment — one designed equally for horses and humans. For Balasaria, that philosophy remains consistent whether designing a traditional working barn or a hospitality-driven equestrian space. “It really doesn’t change anything for us, because we always design with both the horse and the human in mind,” Balasaria says.
That philosophy is visible throughout the structure. Custom barn doors with steel frames, glass panels, and richly stained lumber create dramatic moments of light and transparency throughout the entertainment spaces, while the stall wing prioritizes durability, ventilation, and equine safety through more restrained material selections.
“The various barn door elements we manufactured for this structure are really the wow factor,” Balasaria says. “Each door is beautifully crafted with a custom powder coat finish, glass, and lumber infill. That combination creates a jaw-dropping experience and allows the natural beauty of the surrounding property to be visible from inside the barn.”
The project’s visual simplicity is perhaps what makes it so striking. Nothing feels excessive or overdone. Instead, the barn relies on proportion, materiality, and precision.
“This barn is a beautiful example of something incredibly custom and bespoke that is not ornamental at all,” Balasaria says. “It thrives on very simple, minimalistic design executed at the highest level.”
For Acevedo and his team, achieving that level of simplicity required extraordinary technical effort behind the scenes.
Because the property sits within a high fire zone, many of the project’s material selections were dictated by strict performance standards. But rather than compromise the aesthetic vision, the team developed creative solutions to preserve the character the client wanted.
“The client wanted it to look like authentic reclaimed barn wood from the 1800s, but we’re in a high fire zone, so we had to use modern fire-rated siding,” Acevedo explains. “We had to meet in the middle by hand-applying six layers of custom stain and paint, and carefully selecting fire treated lumber.”
The result is remarkably convincing — aged in appearance, but engineered to meet modern structural and fire safety requirements.
Other details required equally obsessive levels of craftsmanship. Structural steel beams were wrapped in hollowed-out timber cladding to maintain continuous grain patterns, while every piece of siding was hand-nailed to create a more authentic texture and rhythm across the building envelope.
“We had our best finish carpenters and our in-house cabinet shop involved from the framing stage to ensure every detail was perfect,” Acevedo says.
The project also required careful technical coordination between the entertainment areas and the working horse spaces. Soundproofing became particularly important to ensure the barn remained comfortable and calm for the horses during gatherings and events.
“We worked with insulation experts to create excellent soundproofing between the event side and the stall side,” Acevedo says. “We used solid rigid insulation combined with soundproof drywall so the horses remain comfortable and quiet even when the party side is in full swing.”
Throughout the process, both teams describe the collaboration itself as one of the defining aspects of the build. “When we work with high-end builders like Joe’s firm, we are truly full-service and turnkey — from the very beginning of the project to well after delivery,” Balasaria says.
Acevedo echoes that sentiment. “When it comes to stalls, there’s no other choice for us,” he says. “Their support and product quality are second to none.”
The finished barn ultimately feels less like a traditional equestrian structure and more like an immersive lifestyle environment rooted in craftsmanship and connection.
“When you walk through it now, it doesn’t feel like you’re entering a barn,” Acevedo says. “It feels like you’re entering a beautiful, thoughtfully designed lifestyle space where horses and people can both thrive.”
That idea — the barn as a place of connection, peace, and intentional living — is something both teams believe is increasingly shaping the future of luxury equestrian properties. “In a day and age where we’re increasingly hyperconnected through digital devices, the internet, and now AI driving hyper-efficiency, I think there’s a visceral human pull toward spaces that are not digital,” Balasaria says. “There’s no better environment than a barn to facilitate that human connection and presence.”
For all the engineering, detailing, and technical execution behind the project, both teams return to something far less tangible when reflecting on the finished result: emotion.
“Most people would never realize how much love went into this project,” Acevedo says. “You have to truly love what you do, love that a client trusted you with their dream, and love the craft enough to sweat every detail.”
Balasaria agrees. “There’s no one detail,” he says when asked what he is most proud of. “It’s the childlike joy that every person involved in the project walks away with — utmost pride in what we built together.”
In many ways, the project captures the future of luxury equestrian design — spaces that are no longer purely utilitarian, but thoughtfully crafted environments that support both lifestyle and horsemanship. Through close collaboration, technical precision, and a shared commitment to craftsmanship, American Stalls and Acevedo Construction created a barn that feels both deeply personal and enduringly timeless.
