We built this one-and-a-half story home for a couple who are world travelers and love returning to their working Central New York farm. Both the interior and exterior of the house look as though they came from the pages of Country Living magazine.
The architecture is classic American Farmhouse. The design is functional and straightforward with a simple rectangular floor plan. The front of the home features a metal roofed open porch with one side screened for sitting outside on warm summer nights. The siding is fiber cement board and windows are from Andersen. Local and recycled materials were used throughout the home. Perennial gardens surround the house and new trees were planted to create a country landscape.
Traditional country colors were used on the exterior and on interior walls and trim. The home is bright and inviting. The homeowners considered every detail and including a stylish, colorful master bathroom with Moroccan inspired décor.
Objectives
In building this home the homeowners’ objectives were to:
• Design a traditional farmhouse style home with modern amenities.
• Reuse materials they had on the farm property.
• Incorporate some elements from their travels into the décor of the home.
Challenges
Salvaging and blending the old with the new. Much of the wood used was reclaimed from the owners’ property. Old beams were taken from barns. The library doors were salvaged from an old farmhouse. Stairs and railings were fashioned from the wood of beech trees removed from the property. To include these elements, much of the work in the interior was customized in accordance with the floor plan and tastes of the homeowners.
Solutions
The design plan for this home included the following elements:
1. Use recycled wood from the property to create beamed ceilings and trims. The kitchen features a beamed ceiling with beadboard. The “crown” molding is fashioned from recycled boards to create a rustic look. Wooden headers were used to trim the entryways to other rooms in the open floor plan.
2. Add modern amenities to the kitchen. Appliances include a six-burner gas range with a down draft vent, built-in microwave oven and a refrigerator camouflaged by cabinetry. A custom copper countertop was made for a pantry cabinet that features “chicken wire” glass doors. Three different types of cabinet finishes were used in the kitchen décor: red for the perimeter cabinets, espresso for the island and natural maple for the pantry cabinet. A brick backsplash tile was used to add warmth to the rustic look. There is a pass-through window from the kitchen to the screened porch.
3. Install special features in the living room. A custom-built television panel that lowers and raises a flat screen TV for viewing was built above the wood-burning fireplace. When not in use, the television is hidden by artwork.
4. Create a custom-crafted library. The library includes an entryway designed to fit recycled doors, custom-built bookshelves and a functional library ladder. The library was a challenge. The homeowners wanted a bright space for reading and a home office. Reclaimed oak doors with glass panels open into the room. Custom floor-to-ceiling bookshelves were built for the homeowners’ book collection. A library ladder was built on a track to provide safe, easy access to the books. A tin ceiling with crown molding adds charm to the room. Antiques were mixed with modern furniture pieces.
5. Create a personalized master bathroom. The homeowners had traveled to Morocco and were enchanted by the architecture, colors and décor. They wanted to incorporate some of these design elements into their home. They decided to include those features in an inviting master bath. A Moroccan arch entryway was built for the room. The interior of the master bathroom has an arched ceiling embellished by a faux finish, colorful mosaic tile floor and wall border, a claw-foot tub painted red on the exterior, black granite vanity surfaces, a custom portal window, a doorless walk-in shower with dramatic purple tile, and a combination of colors that one might find in a bazaar or on buildings in Marrakesh.
6. Use rustic wood for bedroom flooring. Distressed rustic wood flooring adds country charm to two of the bedrooms in this home and complements the antique furnishings.
