Karen Tillery Wiki Bio: Barnwood Builders Designer’s Age, Net Worth, Husband, Children

Karen Tillery first caught national attention as a recurring design contributor on Magnolia Network’s Barnwood Builders, a show that follows a team of craftsmen who dismantle and rebuild historic barns and cabins using traditional techniques. Her creative input reinforces the show’s mission of preserving early American structures while making them livable for modern families. Viewers value her ability to blend practicality with an appreciation for historic craftsmanship.

Beyond her television work, Tillery is a preservation-focused designer based in Alabama. She manages three independently operated ventures: Restoration Log Cabin Rentals (founded in 2005), Karen Tillery Designs (launched in 2015), and Burns Bluff at High Falls Wedding and Event Center (opened in 2019). Each business reflects a distinct focus—vacation lodging, interior and structural design services, and mountaintop weddings, respectively.

This biography offers a closer look at the woman behind these ventures—exploring her early influences, her recurring role on Barnwood Builders, and her life with husband Glenn in North Alabama.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Karen Tindall Tillery was born on December 18, 1966, in Birmingham, Alabama, to Jan Barrentine Tindall and Tommy Tindall. She studied graphic design at Auburn University from August 1985 to May 1989, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design. She was also actively involved in Kappa Delta Sorority, serving as Standard Boards Chairman.

Karen’s passion for cabin restoration began in 2001, when she and her husband Glenn formed a close mentorship with Don and Jan Kennedy. They spent countless weekends exploring old homes and log structures, absorbing lessons in architecture and preservation. These experiences laid the groundwork for her future career.

By January 2005, Karen officially founded Restoration Log Cabin Rentals, marking her first professional step into historic preservation. Around that same time, she restored a single 1800s log cabin on Lake Guntersville—a project she credits as the spark for her passion in preserving history through meaningful design. That restoration, although modest in scale, lit the path for what would become a long and fulfilling career in cabin restoration. Her early efforts grew into vacation rentals and expanded into larger restoration work.

In April 2015, she formally launched Karen Tillery Designs, a full-service interior and structural design business focused on reclaimed log cabins and timber frame buildings. That same year, she also began her long-running collaboration with Barnwood Builders, cementing her reputation as a creative force in national restoration projects.

In 2017–2018, she was asked to relocate and restore an 1800s Kennedy family cabin—the very first log cabin that Don and Jan Kennedy had moved back in 1980. The cabin had to be again after the land it stood on was sold to new owners who no longer wanted it on the property. Having first learned about this specific cabin during her early mentorship with the Kennedys, Karen’s opportunity to return and restore it decades later was deeply symbolic. The year-long restoration became one of her most comprehensive projects, involving complete dismantling, relocation, and rebuilding. It was a full-circle experience that reaffirmed her commitment to preserving not only historic structures but also the legacy and memories they carry.

Burns Bluff at High Falls: Building a Mountaintop Wedding Venue

In late 2017, Karen’s husband Glenn Tillery took a personal retreat to Eagles Nest at High Falls in DeKalb County, Alabama, where he began considering the purchase of a 44-acre blufftop property adjacent to their existing land. Inspired by entries in their guestbook and ongoing guest interest, Glenn proposed building a mountaintop wedding venue that would give couples a place to begin their marriages—just as many guests had already celebrated anniversaries and honeymoons at their restored cabins.

Nearly two years later, in November 2019, Karen and Glenn opened Burns Bluff at High Falls Wedding and Event Center, a premier wedding venue in North Alabama. Karen led the architectural layout, interior styling, and reclaimed material selection for the entire site. The venue features a timber-framed lodge, a bluffside ceremony chapel, and rustic guest cabins—each infused with historic character and reclaimed craftsmanship. The project blended Karen’s design skills with their shared mission to create a meaningful destination for celebrations and gatherings.

Role on Barnwood Builders

Karen’s journey with Barnwood Builders began in October 2015, following her collaboration with Mark Bowe on a log cabin addition project. Since then, she has become a creative force behind many of the show’s standout builds across Seasons 3 through 19. Her work spans a wide variety of structures—lakeside retreats, post-and-beam commercial spaces, and even a wedding pavilion built with steel and reclaimed logs.

Her contributions stand out for their depth and detail. In 2017, she helped redesign a fire-damaged home in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. In 2020, during COVID-19 travel restrictions, Karen provided full design support remotely for builds in Paris, Texas. And in 2023 and 2024, she played a leading role in the Barnwood Village project in West Virginia, where she and Mark reimagined salvaged beams into new community spaces.

Karen’s design style is grounded in rustic authenticity and emotional storytelling. Her signature elements—exposed timber, stone fireplaces, antique hardware, and locally salvaged materials—bring soul and cohesion to every build. Even when she’s not on-site, her vision is visible in every space the crew finishes.

Personal Life: Husband and Children

Karen Tillery lives in North Alabama with her husband, Dr. Glenn Tillery. The couple has shared decades of marriage, supporting each other through life’s milestones, including Glenn’s cervical spine surgery in 2018, which Karen publicly shared with friends and followers.

Together, they have raised four children and now enjoy the blessings of grandchildren, who lovingly call Karen “Gigi.” Her eldest son, Austin Tillery, is married to Chrystie Falconer Tillery, and they are parents to Jesse Austin Tillery, born in April 2019. Karen’s second-born son is Christopher Tillery, who turned 27 in October 2024. Her third son, Carson Tillery, graduated summa cum laude in Computer Science in 2023 and is pursuing a master’s in Software Engineering. She once described Carson as the youngest boy but the tallest, and affectionately referred to him as her “snuggle bug.” Her youngest child is a daughter, Hannah Tillery, whose first day of high school in 2018 marked a bittersweet milestone as the family’s “last one” to start high school.

Karen has also experienced profound personal loss. In 2017, she revealed that her third baby boy was stillborn at 20 weeks, a heartbreaking moment that she credits her faith and the support of loved ones for helping her endure.

Net Worth and Recognition

Karen Tillery’s career spans television, private design practice, and business ownership across three independently managed ventures. While she has not publicly disclosed her income, her multifaceted work—including high-end restorations, hospitality ventures, and national TV exposure—suggests she has achieved notable financial success. Based on industry estimates and her extensive portfolio, Karen Tillery’s net worth is believed to be in the range of $1.5 million to $3 million as of 2025.

Her designs have been featured in magazines, trade publications, and on-screen in Barnwood Builders, further establishing her as a respected figure in the field of historical restoration and sustainable design.

Karen Tillery Wiki/Bio Facts

Fact	Details
Full Name	Karen Tindall Tillery
Date of Birth	December 18, 1966
Age (as of 2025)	58 years old
Birthplace	Birmingham, Alabama, USA
Nationality	American
Profession	Log cabin designer, restoration expert, TV personality
Known For	Barnwood Builders (Magnolia Network)
Businesses Founded	Restoration Log Cabin Rentals (2005), Karen Tillery Designs (2015), Burns Bluff at High Falls (2019)
Education	B.A. in Graphic Design, Auburn University (1989)
Parents	Jan Barrentine Tindall (mother), Tommy Tindall (father)
Marital Status	Married to Dr. Glenn Tillery
Children	Four (Three sons and one daughter)
Grandchildren	At least one (Jesse Austin Tillery)
Current Residence	North Alabama, USA
Net Worth (Est.)	$1.5 – $3 million (as of 2025)