When we put up a post yesterday about barn conversions, AT Reader citizengreen (aka John) included a link to his own barn renovation in the Catskills. He's documenting the renovation process with a blog called "Watch the House Grow," and the results so far are pretty stunning...
John says, "I've moved an old barn beam structure (circa 1790's) to a new concrete pad and built my house around it."
"I've made it through this winter heating only with wood. I've used whatever old barn siding was still in solid shape for some interior walls and the heavy plank barn flooring for everything from kitchen counters to stairs and benches."
"In the winter months, I slide the bed up next to the back of the masonry heater which pops through the wall into my bedroom. It's my dutch wife. It's a bit minimalist, but the monochromatic color scheme and lack of window treatments forces the view to be the main (and only) focus. And at night, there is not even that distraction from falling fast asleep."
What an incredible labor of love! Thanks for sharing your home with the AT community, John. To watch John's house as it continues to grow, check out the blog.
Photos: Watch the House Grow
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
such gorgeousness!
view kdkaboom's profile
Mmm, I love that muted, earthy yumminess. Will it stay this spare?
view violet212's profile
LOVE the reused parts and especially the wood. Awesome stairs. Great fireplace/heating unit.
But with a bedroom that looks like a jail cell, how does one keep sane?! Whew...
view zuke's profile
"I've made it through this winter heating only with wood"
That's a lot of wood and not very environmentally-friendly.
But I do really like the house!
view ECB's profile
Wow! What an INCREDIBLE space! Thanks for sharing.
view SIUCarbondale10's profile
ECB, wood burning is at least a renewable practice. Seems better than gas or electric heating.
view zuke's profile
Wow, it's beautiful! What a great project.
ECB, whether wood is a more or less environmentally friendly heating source than natural gas or electricity is debatable. For example, a lot of electricity in the US is still produced from burning coal. In his blog, he talks about heating the house for an entire night on one armload of wood, which at least means he's built it for efficiency. Anyway... just wanted to say that wood might not be so bad when all factors are taken into consideration.
view monroe's profile
I can count on 2 hands how many times in the last 20 years I have been envious of something. The fingers are running out.
view chicity1126's profile
wow. I love this place.
That efficient woodburner would heat a home with a lighter footprint than almost any other option imaginable beyond geothermal, solar or hamster-in-a-wheel.
view scarletdog's profile