Houzz Tour: A Simple Barn House in Rural Wisconsin
This newcomer to a well-established community has an exterior that fits right in, but its interior has a modern edge
Vanessa Brunner
September 2, 2012
Houzz Contributor
Modeled after the surrounding 19th-century barns, this house takes old-fashioned rural style style into the 21st century. The owners craved the country life enough to pack up their city house, buy this farm in rural Wisconsin and hire Alchemy Architects and Empire Development and Construction to help them build a new home to fit the traditional landscape. Salvaged materials, ecofriendly features and innovative design solutions helped the couple cut down on costs while building their dream home.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A former city couple, now small-town farmers
Location: Blair, Wisconsin
Size: 1,780 square feet, including basement; 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathrooms
The home’s simple shape and its locally harvested white oak rain screen allow the house to fit in with the barns around the property. The far wall is built out at a slight angle — it goes from 0 to 4 feet out at the top, creating a slightly angled facade.
Who lives here: A former city couple, now small-town farmers
Location: Blair, Wisconsin
Size: 1,780 square feet, including basement; 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathrooms
The home’s simple shape and its locally harvested white oak rain screen allow the house to fit in with the barns around the property. The far wall is built out at a slight angle — it goes from 0 to 4 feet out at the top, creating a slightly angled facade.
This covered outdoor living area sits just outside the interior great room. Designed as a cool, shaded spot for hanging out in the summer, the space was built like a post-frame building by by Tony Szak of Empire Development. Slatted siding lets in natural light, but the finished roof keeps out the rain.
The owners wanted their home to fit seamlessly into the rural community, where most families have lived in the same homes for generations. Salvaged and worn wood reflects the subtle look that the clients were going for.
Outdoor chairs: Sawyer, CB2 (no longer available); cushions: Target
Outdoor chairs: Sawyer, CB2 (no longer available); cushions: Target
Project architect Geoffrey Warner relied on his experience with lighting design — and his Eagle Scout rope skills — to create the lighting in the great room. The low-tech chandelier can be brought down to a lower height or raised for loftier purposes. The light itself is made from insect screening, which lessens the bulb's glare.
The team tried to keep materials cheap and durable, interpreting the design in a way that encouraged the farm-based look. The owners selected, planed and sanded the white oak boards for the ceiling and walls in the main living space.
The simple, spacious kitchen has Richlite counters made of ecofriendly paper-based composites, Ikea cabinetry and one splurge: a Carrara marble tile backsplash.
The simple, spacious kitchen has Richlite counters made of ecofriendly paper-based composites, Ikea cabinetry and one splurge: a Carrara marble tile backsplash.
The home's ecofriendly features include geothermal heating, an integrated rain gutter and cistern, passive solar shading and concrete thermal mass floors. While the environment was certainly a concern, many of these solutions came about due to budget. "There was much focus on making the design seem big while being as flexible and as efficient as possible, which served both the ecological and economic needs," says Warner.
A steel-plated loft above the living space creates a cozy nook for watching TV. Ikea cabinetry provides plenty of storage.
A modern bench sits in the stairwell just outside the kitchen. The wood comes from an 8-by-10 beam from a barn on the property. The wife designed the bench, working with the same artisan who designed their custom steel handrails.
The couple quickly learned how to be handy with all sorts of tools and materials, and fell in love with this low-tech side of their farm life, bringing inventiveness and enthusiasm to their new home. "We would propose things that they either got right away and embraced for its practical quirkiness, or would sort of hold off before returning almost apologetically with some much better solution," Warner says.
The couple quickly learned how to be handy with all sorts of tools and materials, and fell in love with this low-tech side of their farm life, bringing inventiveness and enthusiasm to their new home. "We would propose things that they either got right away and embraced for its practical quirkiness, or would sort of hold off before returning almost apologetically with some much better solution," Warner says.
A reading nook sits above the home's main living space.
The homeowners had a big hand in designing the master bathroom, to the point of making their own tub surround and vanity. Slate floor tile and mint mosaic wall tiles contribute to the home's modern ambience. The tub, similar to a Japanese soaking tub, takes up minimal space.
Bathtub: Americh Beverly 4040; wall tile: Sonterra Opalized Glass in Mint and Oyster White
Bathtub: Americh Beverly 4040; wall tile: Sonterra Opalized Glass in Mint and Oyster White
The fir wood lining this hallway had a previous life as hardwood flooring in the wife's childhood home. After sanding the pieces down, she used a watered-down latex paint to give them shine.
The property has several other structures on it, including a smaller farmhouse the couple lived in at first, a granary, a workshop and a big red barn (barely visible to the right). Originally they considered building a house inside the shell of this barn. Now the barn houses sheep, goats, other animals and their mushroom crop. The couple are vegetarians; they grow most of their food onsite and sell milk from the sheep and goats to local cheesemakers.
At night the light filters through the screen on the outdoor seating area, creating a comforting glow in the country darkness.
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I love the clean minimalist look to this place. It also looks very calming, and contemporary.