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Hey guys!
I am back with another post about the barn. This time it’s a lot shorter, but I said I would keep you guys up to date on the whole process.
So here I go.
On Thursday the construction began…
Ok well not really, real construction is scheduled to start the second week of May. On Thursday the digging began for a perc test (measures the absorption rate of soil for a septic drain field or “leach field” – nice huh) and to check the depth of the foundation. Nothing fun or exciting, but still kind of exciting because it just makes this whole thing feel that much more real. Ahh!!
Hands are clapping excitedly now.
Before we get to the plans below there are a few notes I have to share.
1.) These plans? They do not do the barn justice. You have to try to picture everything in your head and I am assuming that will be hard for most of you since you have not a clue what the ideas are that I have in my head. If only we could synchronize our thoughts for a few minutes.
2.) There are certain, very annoying codes that have to be followed. This means the drawings below may not be exactly what they seem to be and things may, or may not, be slightly different when I show you guys the finished and pretty barn….
3.) The space is centered around the kitchen, pantry and my shooting space. Meaning that the kitchen is way bigger than my bedroom, the pantry is also twice the size of my bedroom and the shooting space is right beside the kitchen.
4.) The picture of the plans below is a little hard to see, so if you want a better look check out this link: Gerard A2.1 042414
It’s a very simple design because I like simple. Nothing super fancy or over the top, but it’s still going to be so cool. I am just trying to give you a basic idea of what’s happening. More details and pictures will follow, so you can hopefully get a better idea of my ideas.
Ok, so here we go, the basic tour –
There will be sliding barn doors pushed open to reveal a rustic hinged entry door. As you walk in there will be a staircase to the right leading up to my loft bedroom. My bedroom will be the only room upstairs. To enter the bedroom I am using barn doors. I chose a loft because I want the space to feel very open with high ceilings and not a ton of walls.
Going back down the stairs to the entry room (I have no idea what I will call this, but I guess dining room will suffice for now). This room will have a large old-ish/rustic wood table. The table will be BIG, like fill up the room, spread out your stuff, serve sixteen people big. I still have to find the table, but it will be a cool one.
From there you walk to the back of the barn and into the kitchen. Oh the kitchen. I am already in love with it and it’s not even built yet! So first you’ll see the big island full of counter space and storage galore. I haven’t decided about bells and whistles like refrigerator drawers or pot filler faucets, we will have to see where we are cost-wise when we sit down to do the exact kitchen plans, but I am definitely open to advice!
Behind the island will be the large farm sink that looks out a nice big window. To the left of the sink will be the fridge. To the right of the sink is the stove. To the left of the kitchen will be my office and a door out to the patio with a grill and possible even another cool surprise. To the right of the kitchen will be my photography space. From there you can walk into the pantry. The room labeled tack room (it currently is a tack room) is actually going to be one giant walk in pantry, complete with an island in the middle and shelves up and down all the walls. There will also be a sink and possibly even a smaller fridge as well. I plan to use a good portion of the pantry to store all my photography boards and props (I seem to be accumulating more and more these days). I am so very excited about the pantry. I am planning to have library ladders to reach the top shelves. I mean come on, I have always wanted those! Oh and the bathroom/laundry room, currently the outdoor stall you see off of the dinning room, will be accessible from the dining kitchen area. Don’t worry, we are enclosing it so I don’t freeze while taking a shower and doing laundry. The stall next to it is staying a stall and I am hoping I will be able to tell you why soon!
And there you have it. I know it is hard to tell what I am envisioning, but I think in the end you guys will love it. I will definitely be sharing more details about each room as we get more into the nitty-gritty designs.
PS. I would still love suggestions and or advice, so leave your comments!!
Um..so when can I move in? Lol
This looks so awesome–a home designed entirely around the kitchen and your passion.
I would recommend solid surface counters. So much easier to take care of, and a lot less worry about effing them up. And now they look just as good as natural stone.
Add seating around the island is a great idea. My dad and brother would never spend time in the kitchen when there wasn’t an island. Now my dad sits there all the time! You friends will be able to hang out, you’ll have a place to park your brothers, and you won’t feel lonely in the kitchen.
And most of all make it what you love. Don’t worry about trends or styles, just pick things you love and go with it!
Can’t wait to see where it goes!
Abby
Oh my gosh this sounds zoo freakin’ awesome Tieghan! How exciting! I can’t wait to see it transform! I dream of having a high kitchen, one day. Mine’s pretty teeny and I feel like I can never unclutter the counter because of all my food/props/etc. It’s crazy.
Your walk in pantry sounds like my dream, can’t wait to see more as things progress!
Tieghan- this is so awesome and it’s great there’s progress. I have so many thoughts. I built a huge pantry in our huge and I love it. I wish it was even bigger. Between food and all of my platters, large pots, etc it filled up fast. I only have drawers in my kitchen and I love them! They’re so efficient compared to having to lean down and reach into a cabinet. My island is super deep, so on the backside (underneath the overhang for stools), I have more cabinets where I store my rarely used stuff like china and seasonal items. It is great to have the extra space and storage instead of just having nothing. Have fun with the project! Keep us posted.
This is just too cool. I can’t wait!! Keep the updates coming.
Your spacious kitchen and pantry area will be awesome! The only thing I think you might really miss is having a bathroom in the loft. It looks like you could extend a bit upstairs and the piping would work from the downstairs bath.
Hi , I agree a bathroom in the loft would be ideal . Easier to get dressed & ready for the day without running downstairs to wash or shower. Great wood kitchen cabinets on pinterest too.
If I didn’t like you so much Tieghan, I would have to hate you! This barn turned kitchen-dominated-home sounds fabulous! Love, love, love your plans (or at least my visuals of your plans)! I just see lots of good light and intoxicating aromas!! So happy for you!
I only have drawers on my 4 ft x 10 ft island. It is a much better use of available space. My island has a seating area with barstools on the 4 ft end since everyone ends up in the kitchen at some point and this way they can visit, help, or stay out of the way. The stove is on the other 4 ft end of the island across from the sink. Don’t forget to put plugs on the island for electric griddles, immersion blenders, and other items that need electricity. When I use the crock pot, I place it on the cooktop in case of spills. I do have one cabinet for cutting boards, cookie sheets, pizza paddles, and cooling racks by the stove. Most of my everyday pots and pans are in 2 big drawers underneath the cooktop for easy reach. If we remodel our kitchen, I would replace most of the other bottom cabinets with drawers. Have you thought about some glass cabinet doors for the upper cabinets maybe with lighting inside? Put electric outlets every 3 feet around the kitchen and even some in the pantry.
I would make room in the kitchen or pantry for an extra fridge and/or freezer. We live in the country, 20 miles from town, so I do my main shopping once a week. You have mentioned having to make extra trips to get items you forgot. I use the freezer to store staples like butter, ice cream, bacon, flour, etc., when they go on sale and our meat when we process an animal.
Make your bedroom your retreat and sanctuary. We have a door to the screened in porch in our bedroom that we can leave open when the weather is nice. Have you thought about an outdoor space off your loft? It could be a beautiful private area. The most important thing is to try and build a home you would want to be your forever home.
This is so exciting, Tieghan! So happy for you!
Anything with library ladders you are on the right track! (bookworm alert)
It’s going to look amazing, and I know I’m going to be so jealous of your pantry. Love the design!
Oh Tieghan! So jealous of your pantry space!!! Can I move in? This looks fantastic and can’t wait to follow you on your journey from start to finish!
I can totally envision everything you just said and it sounds like your space is going to be incredible. And your kitchen? Gahh! It sounds like my dream kitchen design. Don’t even get me started on your pantry because I LOVE a huge walk-in pantry! I love how all the rooms are planned out and oh my gosh I’m just so excited for you, Tieghan! 😀 Love your barn updates and can’t wait to see what the inside will look like!
I dream of a walk in pantry…love the library ladders so cool…keep us posted luv the barn updates.
A stove with a warming drawer would be nice to keep the food warm longer. I wish I had one. This sounds so exciting. Can’t have too much pantry space. Thanks for the update.