This $17.25 million property near Oklahoma City falls in the latter category and among its craziest features is a 33-car, 32,000-square-foot garage that doubles as a highfalutin barndominium.

In addition to living quarters, a barndominium typically includes a large garage, workshop, or other utilitarian space. Found most often in rural areas, barndominiums have been growing in popularity ...

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lacey Harwood, a 39-year-old "barndominium" owner based one hour outside of Houston. It has been edited for length and clarity. In 2010 ...