Recently, I was talking to an acquaintenance about building a barn-style home and she asked, “What exactly is barn-style? Does it mean converting a barn into a house?” This question started me thinking about how best to describe barn-style. Converting an old barn into a house definitely affords the home a barn-style look, but you don’t need to begin with an…
There’s nothing I love more than flipping through magazines and books looking at gorgeous homes. When I was building my house, photos from books and magazines were my primary inspiration in designing our Victorian carriage house. Now that the housing market has begun its rebound, I’m beginning to consider ideas for the main house (to…
Happy New Year! Post and Beam Living is extremely excited to announce we’re writing a book about the post and beam structure, to be published in late 2010. This picture book will help future home builders decide what styles of post and beam homes best fit their lifestyles and personal tastes. How cool is that? …
I have to admit, when I first heard I was going to be involved in a photo shoot for a new barn home filled with all kinds of technological wizardry, I wasn’t overly excited as technology is not my thing. However upon meeting the home owners (two PhDs in mathematics who…
For the next few days, I’m off to the great city of Quebec for a “wor-cation”; my made up term for combining work and fun. I’ll be staying in my dream hotel, Le Chateau Frontenac, taking in as much as possible; particularly the fantastic architecture of both the hotel and the city. It’s going to be rough, but…
Whenever it nears the holidays, thoughts turn to fond memories of the season. “Over the river and through the woods” brings on a whole new meaning when the house at the end of the journey is a gorgeous salt-box post and beam barn home. This salt-box style post and beam was specifically built to fit…
As promised in my post on October 13th, this post will recommend paint colors to use in post and beam bedrooms and baths. As always, the main consideration when choosing color for a timber frame home is to accentuate and compliment the architectural structure. But not to worry as it’s not rocket science. If it’s…
Actually, this addition to an 18th century cape came about in a very unusual way. Normally one finds or has the old cape first then adds on; not so in this case. These homeowners were house hunting in New England when their realtor showed them a gorgeous timber frame home. They were captivated but came…
In compiling a list of items for my post a few weeks ago (October 7, 2009), I soon realized I had far more Discoveries than would possibly fit in one entry. I mused that if I were reading this blog, I would love to see more of this type of post. Then I thought, ‘Hey,…
The design plan for this timber frame vacation home was not complex. It needed to be suitable for large family gatherings of the owners children and grandchildren while fitting in with the landscape; a gorgeous site located on a back field of an old farm that sloped down to a lake. Traditional barn designs inspired…
While her husband was stationed in Southeast Asia as an Army Officer, this interior designer took the opportunity to soak up the culture which so interested her and ultimately influenced her design style. The vibrant jewel-like colors, the rich tones of the woods, and the vivid iridescent silks all played a prominent role when the…
What to do when you have a wonderful location, a beautiful site with a home you love and a well established business reputation but no available space for that home-based photography business? The completed photography studio added on to this Connecticut home. Well, if you’re this New England home owner, you take inspiration from the…