A Piece of Paradise
A modern-meets-rustic party barn brought to life by the craftspeople from B&D Builders transforms a family’s newly purchased property in Malvern.
by Bill Donahue

In 2016, Vince and Mary Canzanese purchased 12 acres of open land in Malvern. As they began to envision their future home, they realized they wanted to add a structure apart from their primary residence—namely, a barn.
 
“Some of my best memories as a kid were going to visit my uncle who lived on a farm, spending time with him and seeing his animals,” says Vince, whose family previously lived in Media. “We talked about adding a barn to the property, either for housing animals or car storage. So we started talking to some of the big names in the industry to see what was possible.” 
 
The interview process began with Daniel Glick of B&D Builders, based in Paradise, Pennsylvania. The search effectively ended there. After seeing the “absolutely gorgeous” projects in B&D’s portfolio, the Canzaneses realized the craftsmanship of other builders “wasn’t even close.” 
 
“Daniel took us to six or seven projects,” Vince recalls. “We also went to Elizabethtown [in Lancaster County], where the Star Barn is, and we saw a lot of finishes we liked. From that point, we decided we wanted to use the barn as more of an entertaining space as opposed to storage space.” 
 
In collaboration with an architect from Period Architecture, B&D helped the Canzaneses bring their vision to life in the form of a 5,000-square-foot “party barn”—a freestanding structure used to host informal gatherings and recreational activities. Even for a family like Mary’s—she’s one of 12 siblings, all with families of their own—the barn had unlimited potential.
 
Blending modern and rustic elements, the project evolved to include several unique aspects: a gourmet kitchen with a pizza oven; a geothermal heating and cooling system; a spacious seating area with a double-sided fireplace; handcrafted stone columns of intricate craftsmanship; and a set of protective accordion-style barn doors to shield the interior doors from the elements. The Canzaneses also took Daniel’s suggestion of utilizing reclaimed white oak to give the barn’s interior “a more authentic and historic appearance.”
 
Construction began in 2019, more or less aligned with the building of the Canzaneses’ new home. Since opening its doors in 2020, the party barn has been used to host numerous family gatherings, including Christmas Eve, New Year’s, and Thanksgiving celebrations. Vince says he also enjoys spending time out there by himself. 
 
“Whenever other people walk in and see it for the first time, they can’t even believe it,” he adds. “It’s the same for me. Every time I walk in and get that smell of fresh-cut wood, it’s like walking in for the first time.” 
 
Demand for party barns spiked early into the COVID-19 pandemic, which Daniel attributes to people craving non-public spaces where they could gather with friends and family. Although the pandemic has since abated, he says demand for the structures remains strong. 
 
Besides party barns, B&D has made a name for itself as a builder of luxury homes and equine facilities. The company has grown quite a bit since its founding more than 25 years ago, with strategic investments designed to complement its construction arm. Daniel cites the creation of four specialty brands—Mid-Atlantic Timberframes, Mid-Atlantic Steel Fabrication, Vintage Millwork & Restoration, and Vintage Wood & Forged Iron—that have helped ensure exacting quality standards and exert control over costs and lead times. 
 
“We have all the resources within our umbrella, and we have a team that executes very efficiently and controls the construction work on site,” says Daniel, B&D’s relationship manager, as well as one of its founders. “The engineering of these structures is really intense, and we take care of all of that with our sister companies. We feel the product we offer is the best in the market.”
 
Five years have passed since B&D completed the Canzaneses’ party barn, and Vince and Daniel remain in close contact. In fact, Daniel often calls Vince to ask if he can stop by to show the party barn to prospective clients. Vince never declines.   
 
“We have a great relationship with B&D,” Vince says. “If anything comes up or small repairs are needed, they send someone out right away. It was such a positive experience, I can’t think of one thing we would change. … We had a great time building the house, but we had an even better time doing the barn. We enjoyed every minute of it.”
 
B&D Builders
34 S. Vintage Road
Paradise, PA 17562
(717) 687-0292
banddbuilders.com
 
Photo courtesy of B&D Builders
 
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life, July 2025
 

View PDF Version