This 1970s barn on a Whidbey Island farm in Washington state had become dilapidated and had dropped out of usage, but its owner loved its charm. Rather than knock down it, she brought it back to life, equaling lots of its original materials to create a cozy guesthouse for her kids and grandkids, also used as an event workspace for local community groups.
Architects Thomas Schaer and Prentiss Hale attracted a few of the proprietor’s cottage style to the brand new guesthouse, mixing in old stripes and fresh modern lines beneath its traditional gambrel roof.
at a Glance
Who lives here: Guesthouse for a Seattle-area lady’s long family
Location: Whidbey Island, Puget Sound, Washington
Size: 2,100 square feet
That’s intriguing: The timeless gambrel barn roof was initially designed to maximize hay storage upstairs.
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The property has approximately 50 acres, after dedicated to grazing animals and gardens. When the owner bought the farm, almost everything was out of working order, such as this barn — among several around the property.
The client’s own shingle-style cottage is nearby, making the barn the ideal location to get a guesthouse. She did not need to stray too far from the barn’s unique design. While the siding required to be replaced, she wanted new materials that could weather. This stripped cedar siding will get gray and patinated with time.
Before Photo
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The first barn was a garage with an attached carport for the farm’s vehicles and equipment. Constructed in the 1970s, it did not have wood framing like older barns, therefore the architects did not need to make any structural changes. The barn’s footprint remained exactly the same.
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Schaer and Hale divided the barn to two different spaces: a private upstairs apartment with a separate entry, and the downstairs kitchen, workspace and bunk room in the older carport. The downstairs workspace currently hosts nearby events.
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Dutch doors made by hand on-site show the downstairs unit’s main entrance. A pet door allows the client’s corgis to come and go as they please.
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The barn’s new design revolves round light — a significant change from the original design. A simple new window beside the front entry enables sunlight to flow to the primary hallway.
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Schaer and Hale used leftover fir from the barn’s salvaged floor joists to make this dressing table in a first-floor bathroom. Vintage Stonco fixtures and salvaged bamboo plank walls add to the home’s warmth.
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The renovated carport includes a living area with three spacious bedrooms for seeing family.
Even though the client’s own house includes a different cottage style, she wanted this guesthouse to sense a little more modern and industrial, with plenty of warmth and feel. “Her location has been much more cutesy and cottage-like than the brand new barn,” states Schaer. “But both are very warm and comfy.”
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A spacious kitchen in the downstairs unit may easily accommodate guests and massive groups. The customer wanted a lasting, open area where she and the others could work with produce from the backyard, create cheese or whip up group dinners.
Such a hardworking space needed to have durable, unfussy materials. The custom concrete counter and steel island foundation fit the bill. After massaging the counter in, Schaer pushed a mixing bowl to the wet cement to earn an integrated recess for veggies and fruits.
Range: Viking; floors: stained concrete
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The kitchen opens to a spacious dining area that’s equally as well suited for large collections. The rugged marine plywood dining table and benches could be transferred outside, beyond a sliding glass door and directly onto the patio for outdoor dining.
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The furniture in the vicinity of the dining area was selected with a modern but matter-of-fact slant. Linen, cowhide and raw wood blend textures to the neutral palette.
The homeowner wanted texture onto the walls, therefore Schaer utilized a plaster skim coat as the final conclusion on the gutters, bypassing paint and putting coffee grounds to the veneer plaster to create speckles and stripes.
Before Photo
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Few modifications were made into the timeless gambrel roof. “When we were going to detract from your first type, the customer wanted it to be warranted,” states Schaer.
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The gambrel roof has a slightly gentler slope, echoed by the simple and elegant furniture. This upstairs guest unit embraces light as much as the downstairs. Increasing the windows and replacing the upstairs cupola brought in more natural light.
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A kitchenette finishes the distinct upstairs guest unit. The first concept was to design an apartment unit that could potentially house a caretaker one day.
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A lofted bathroom and sleeping area are ideal for one or two. The cozy sloped ceilings and warm salvaged cedar boards make for a spa-like bathing and sleeping area. Schaer and Hale utilized a salvaged claw-foot tub, setting it in a gray plaster deck to get a built-in look.
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