This Yankee Barn homeowner interview is a bit different from past interviews. Yes, Keith lives in a brand new Yankee Barn home. However, he did not design or plan this home with us. Keith bought the house after it was completed. The house is our former model home, Eastman House. Many of you will recall this house as we chronicled its build and finish. Keith is a very interesting guy who knows what he likes. I’ll let him tell you about it.
Buying A Yankee Barn Home After the Fact
YBH: Please tell us a bit about yourself.
Keith: 60’s solo, edgy, creative, chef-trained and business owner. Despise anything cookie cutter. While there is a large market for mediocrity, I despise it. When it comes to home design, I look for distinctive, different, clever, warm, inviting and well done. I currently manage the Hanover Inn Dartmouth, where making people comfortable is paramount.
YBH: We understand you viewed quite a few homes while in the house-hunting phase. What drew you to Eastman House?
Keith: I looked at 72 homes, much to my realtors (plural) chagrin. I was looking for something large enough to accommodate visiting family, yet charming, with an open floor plan and not dated with triangular windows, etc., such as you find in many Eastman Homes. Many wreak of 1985.
The arrival experience (using hotel lingo) is magnificent: a beautiful large curved drive lined with huge granite rocks, then you come upon this quaint, cozy, contemporary house surrounded by woods. Upon entering, you realize this is not your average small house. Surprisingly, the ceiling sores 25 feet; the layout is unusual and there are plenty of guestrooms, each with en-suite bathrooms.
YBH: What are some of your favorite features?
Keith: The open plan, soaring beamed ceilings, 10,000 windows and the showers are REAL tile, not plastic drop-in-place units. The huge master shower is also a favorite and I love that each bedroom has an en-suite bathroom. Surprisingly, it is the first and only home I have not had to completely repaint to fit my personal color palate. In fact, I have not repainted a single room. The owner/builder has impeccable taste.
YBH: Is there anything you might have done differently had you been involved in the design of Eastman House?
Keith: I would have done the following: 1) Finish off the unfinished downstairs bathroom; 2) Facilitated more light in the downstairs middle room by adding windows on either side of slider; 3) added a small patio outside the lower level sliders; 4) Purchased skylights with shades, to reduce summer heat; 5) Placed more lighting over the center island; and 6) added lighting over the dining area.
YBH: We have been designing many Age-In-Place homes. Do you feel the Eastman House floor plan is a good fit for this lifestyle?
Keith: Absolutely!
Thank you, Keith, for your honest and insightful responses to our questions. The accolades are wonderful to hear and the suggestions help us improve each new Yankee Barn Home.
View Floor Plans: EASTMAN HOUSE
