the barn room: details

Welcome to the barn room!
First, thank you so much for all of your wonderful comments.  I am blown-away and extremely touched by your kind words.  Thank you.

(I have tried to include answers to your questions about the room in this post)
I thought it might be helpful to start with some reference points for scale:  
the room measures 23 x 27 feet and the ceiling is 12-1/2 feet in height;
the french doors measure almost 10 feet to the top of the header; 

the height at the top of the mantel is 6-1/2 feet.

The barn room walls are covered in ship-lap random width pine boards.  This room (including baseboards) is painted Benjamin Moore's Sea Haze 2137-50.  When choosing the color for the barn room I tried really hard to not look at the color names.  I can be easily swayed by a good name;)  I kept coming back to one swatch, and after finally identifying it as Sea Haze I realized it is the next color on the wheel from Gray Owl which is in the adjacent kitchen.  At that I knew it was the one!  It is a blue/green/grey which changes throughout the day and also varies depending on the season.  The ceilings are white washed pine boards.  

This antique herbarium is possibly my favorite of all our collections! (more on them further down this post)  

Antique iron gates are from Argentina and were found at a local antiques shop several years before the barn renovation began. The gated doorway leads into the barn mud room.

After living in the room for several months I decided I wanted an old pharmacy lamp next to the sofa.  If you have ever looked for an original, old one you know they are impossible to find.  So,  I began to look for new reproductions, but you know me;)  I really wanted something old.  Several months into my fruitless search (online, at antique shops, etc.) we woke up one weekend morning and Dan tells me he thinks we need to go antiquing as he has a feeling we are going to find something!  Later that day "he" found this old, adjustable height brass pharmacy lamp at a shop in Rhode Island. When he found it it was reduced to its smallest height adjustment, about 3 feet.  When I caught up to him he proudly showed me his find.  I told him I loved it, but it was way too short;)  He extended the arm of the lamp to its actual height and it was perfect!  I was one very happy girl!  It must have been fate as the patina of the lamp almost perfectly matches the coppery brown in the herbaria behind it.  When we got it home and began to re-wire it we found a plate on the inside marking it as "Western Electric" brand, and after some research I found it to be approximately circa 1915. 

Faux fur throws (bear, I believe) are a favorite with all of us in the cold New England winters, but especially with Ella- I think she thinks it is her 'birth' mama;)  She misses them when I put them away for the summer.

The chandelier is is just over 4 feet wide and was a wonderful Craigslist find- its story here and here.
The thick, textured jute rug measures 13 x 15' (which is an extremely difficult size to find at an affordable price point) and was a fabulous value from here.  Though I had to wait several months while it was on back-order the rug is wonderful and was worth the wait!  I love the texture that it provides the room.  It is also very soft and comfortable to bare feet.
    

The clamshell is real and measures 37" wide!  It was sitting in the front yard of a 1950's ranch-style house in our neighborhood in Dallas.  I would notice it every time I drove to the grocery store and coveted it for several years.  One day I drove by and the house was for sale.  I went home and wrote a letter to the homeowner asking if they would be interested in selling it.  No response.  I then noticed the house seemed to be vacant.  At this point I start to panic!  Several weeks went by with still no reply, so I called the agent listing the house.  She told me the house was in probate and forwarded my interest in the clamshell to the trustee of the estate.  Within hours I got a call from the man's secretary.  She asked me what I would like to offer.  I had no idea, but explained that several months before I had purchased a smaller one (the one on the shelves that Dan built in the master bath) and I paid $50 for it, so I offered $75 for this one (now, here you must understand I had never actually seen the piece up close, only from the street and had no idea of its condition or true size.)  The offer was accepted!  I then RAN to find Dan and told him we needed to go get the shell immediately before the man changed his mind!   We drove to the house and it was then that I realized the shell was not just big, it was huge!  It weighs a good 200+ pounds!   Dan looks at me and tells me that there's no way I can help him pick it up.  I'm wearing boots at the time that have a 2.5" heel- not the best heavy-lifting accessory;)  I look at him with the determination of a woman facing losing her coveted object and say "Ohhh Yes I can!  And hurry!"  I was worried the neighbors would think we were stealing it and wanted to get out of there quick!  Dan was shocked as I easily helped him load the shell into the back of our Yukon- it took up almost the entire width of the back, and unloaded it at our house.  When we moved from Dallas a special crate was built to house the shell.  When we moved into the farmhouse the crate remained in the basement until we moved into the barn room.  We hired one of our young, strong carpenters to help us move into the room.  He brought along an even younger high school football player- think big and muscular; this boy was a rock.   And, you should have heard him huff and puff as they carried the shell up from the basement.  Of course I had to mention how I had helped Dan move it wearing 2.5 inch heels:)!

Yes, the man-t.v (a 65" flatscreen) was Dan's idea, but honestly, the day it was installed it was me who was questioning if it was large enough:)
The floors are white pine and are 12" wide.

Antique painted-iron finial is from a building in downtown Portland, Oregon. Our neighborhood there (Eastmoreland) would have an annual yard sale; this was back in the early 90's when architectural antiques were just coming on the market and were very expensive.  I asked the sweet, elderly lady how much the iron piece was and she told me "seven fifty."  I said thank you and walked away not surprised by the expensive price.  In telling Dan of the price I realized that maybe she didn't mean $750 as I had assumed, but seven dollars and 50 cents??  No, couldn't be.  So, I asked again "Excuse me, how much did you say this was?" and sure enough this time she said "seven dollars and fifty cents!"   She told us her husband used to work for the city and it was being thrown out during the renovation of an old building in downtown, so he brought it home.  It sits on an antique wood base that we found in Montgomery, Alabama. 

I adore this pair of lamps that we made from antique wooden balusters... a story about the them can be found here.

The table is vintage.  

The huge basket, filled with magazines, was a roadside requisition rescued from a bulk-trash pile back in Dallas!  People used to throw out the best things! 

The original barn door used as art.  The door is 11 feet tall by 11-1/2 feet wide.  This is the door that Dan and I would slowly open and close (it's extremely heavy) when we would come over to see the house while we were trying to talk ourselves into buying it.  The house was empty and visiting realtors would accidentally leave the barn to house door unlocked on occasion, and we would come inside and try to imagine what it would "feel" like to live here without anyone else around.  We would come over during the day and late at night to see if the house felt safe and happy.  It did!  While we were renovating the room I planned to oil/wax the door, but after installation (here) I realized that all it needed was a good vacuuming and it was perfect in its rough-hewn condition.

The table under the barn door is an old iron work table base.  The table is 8 feet in length.  We added a slab of soapstone as its top.  The large antique iron urn is from Jackson, Mississippi- which is where my late father was from;  I like knowing that this urn was across town as my father was growing up.  Collection of antique blue and white Chinese porcelain pieces (including the lamp) share the table corner.  Antique rug sits in front of the work table.

In this photo you can see the oil painting in the barn half bath and how that space relates to the barn room. Sofas are slipcovered in natural linen.  Custom down cushions in brown velvet and accent cushions in a latte jacquard and coral velvet.   The coral/salmon/pink-orange color can be seen in several of the rugs in the room and on the large cushion on the opposing sofa.  It is a color that I absolutely adore.  Both sofas were custom, made in Dallas.  The sofas were dissimilar and were in different rooms in that house.  Covering them with the same slipcover design and fabric has brought them together here.  I designed the slips to have box pleats and they were made "on site" by an amazing seamstress.  It was wonderful to have her make them on-site as we could discuss every little nip and tuck along the way, getting each and every detail exactly as I envisioned.

Same view as the photo above, only vertically.  I thought showing both views would give you a better feel for the space.  A while after we moved into the room I decided I wanted a table in front of the sofa facing the fireplace.  I wanted/needed a place to stack magazines for reading, to set a drink, or just to prop your feet up on to watch a show.  I envisioned a "pair" of something.  I looked for months, finding some great options along the way, but not "the one."  When I found these vintage iron nesting garden tables at an antique shop I thought they would be the perfect answer!  I love the element of metal they provide in the room and how easy they are to move around (they have glides under their feet that easily slide across the thick weave of the rug);  I loved that they weren't the same height which offered interest, and I also love that they are not solid- the pierced iron gives a nice pattern to the room and doesn't compete with the coffee table.  They were covered in flaky rust when I found them and Dan wire brushed and oiled them into the beauties they are today!

This photograph shows the other french door flanking the fireplace.

Antique Victorian table was painted black probably 100 years ago- it has a wonderful alligatored finish that comes with age.  Leather chair (they were purchased 12 years ago and yes, they recline) with faux fur throw and a raw silk pillow.

The large, old, weathered barrel-top basket sits under one of the windows that flank the television.  When I found the basket at a favorite antique mall the dealer happened to be in the booth.  I looked at the price and not having my reading glasses with me;) I didn't believe my eyes- I think it was $22.  So, I went back to "casually" look at the price several more times, trying to figure out if I was seeing it correctly.  The dealer must have thought I was thinking the price was too high as every time I looked at it she said "I can take $2 off that price", but really I was just trying to see! I think I ended up paying $18 for it.

It's difficult to get the full scale of the room from the photographs, but the windows flanking the television measure 6 feet wide by over 5 feet tall.

Oops....I see the photographer left her glass of wine in this photo;) 

Moose antler sits on the antique French commode that we found at the Scott Antique Market in Atlanta years ago.  I bought it as the dealer was literally wheeling it off the truck as I didn't want it to get snapped up when its feet hit the ground. If you've ever been to Scotts, you know if you blink twice someone else will swoop in and buy the piece you're thinking about!   Love the simple carving on the piece.  The commode is unusually large, standing at 55-1/2 inches tall.  The man-speakers had a little silver "P" on each of the three speakers - I painted them mat black... don't tell Dan;)!

Large antique Chinese brass bowl was purchased a good 25 years ago and has lived in all my houses, though it stayed in a cabinet during my "I hate brass" phase... thank goodness that's over!  

Antique iron martini table.  I've seen lots of reproductions of this table, but was thrilled to find an original.  It was completely covered in thick rust.   Dan wire brushed (using a wire-wheel brush attachment on his drill) and oiled (3-in-1 oil and buff with paper towels) the table. Adore the pitted top!  And yes, it has been known to host a dirty martini or two;)  and an occasional glass of wine (see above photo;)   Patina on the leather chairs courtesy of Ella as they are a favorite of hers!   Brown velvet cushion, and antique cushion and rug with coral accents.

I honestly don't think we could have found a more perfect antique coffee table for the room.  The hand painted, marble topped Empire table is circa 19th century and is really a piece of art.  The room and furnishings all have very simple lines, and I love how the table is ornate and commands the center of the room.

We found it at the fabulous Withington Antiques in York,Maine. (hurry, my friend Steve at Urban Cottage just told me they are closing in November and I am heartbroken.)  Dan and I saw it at the same moment then looked at each other with the "that's the one" look!  We were driving my car which couldn't accommodate the table, so we left it to pick up later.  We came home and I measured the table size in the room and PANICKED.  I thought it was going to be way too small.  I drove myself crazy for weeks worrying about the table.  But, once we walked it into the room it couldn't have been more perfect in size and scale and design!   Closeup photographs of the table here.

The table has a beautiful, moody dark grey marble top.  It is the perfect (think low-maintenance) surface to set a drink.  It is also the perfect height to prop your feet up on. I really can't tell you how much I love this table! 

The large piece of granite (finished size is 6.5 foot x 20 inch)  that we used for our hearth stone was original to the barn and was removed during the making of the garage.  The story of crafting of the 769-pound hearthstone is here.  

The fireplace is stucco over brick and cinder block.  You can see the process of it being built here.
I was asked what my inspiration for the fireplace was.  I wanted the room to have an open, airy/light feel to it, like the old European country houses you see as opposed to it feeling lodge-like or barn-like (the rest of the barn is more "barn-like".)   I didn't want to put in the massive stone fireplace one sees often in New England; while they can be beautiful I felt that in this room and the way it is entered it would take up all the energy of the space and draw all the attention. I wanted something lighter in look and feel, yet something that could hold it's own with all the other large elements of the room (i.e. the 9 foot french doors, the 11 foot barn door, etc.).  Dan had always envisioned a stone fireplace, but after showing him some great photographs of stucco fireplaces he understood the direction I wanted to take the room.  It didn't hurt that we went ahead and got a quote for a stone fireplace and it was between $50-$70k!  We knew it was the right choice for this room when realizing that even if we had the budget (we didn't;) to put a stone fireplace in, we wouldn't!
Since the fireplace is in direct line of sight as you come down the stairs from the kitchen I designed the mantel to wrap the chimney (as opposed to only being on the face side), so that you saw that element of wood as you walk down the stairs.  It also gave the chimney a bit more visual weight in the room.  The mantel is a beam that was also original to the barn.  Our lead carpenter did a masterful job of getting the old beam (that had aged with twists and turns over the century and a half since it was originally placed in the barn) to level.
The arch of the firebox was a very important detail for me.  I find it is so interesting that depending on the angle of a particular arch it can read either contemporary, or old.  I looked to the subtle arch in the living room fireplace and tried to mimic that for this space.  The angle of the chimney was another extremely important element for me.  One inch, one way or another, made the chimney "read" totally different.
An antique English dolly tub holds firewood.   The antique iron poker (in the tub with the wood) is the only fireplace tool we use.  Antique glazed terracotta corbel can stand the heat of the fire.   Fireplace screen is vintage and the antique brass andirons are Federal in style.

The painting is by a listed, turn-of-the-century artist who retired to our small town.  Our area in New Hampshire was (and is) very popular with artists because of its natural beauty and the amazing light we get.  After randomly googling his name one day several years ago I found this painting in an auction from a museum in Wales which was decommissioning works bestowed to it. I loved the subject of the painting, the colors and I thought it would be perfect for the mantel.  Thankfully we won the auction!  The painting reminds me of  places we have visited in Europe (where the artist often traveled to paint) and also of New Hampshire. The really special part of this story is that I know the house where the artist lived!  My friend/neighbor lives in the house.  I love the connection, and love the painting even more.

There are birds flying on the horizon in the painting and I love how the little bronze birds on the mantel look like they could have flown right off the canvas and landed in the barn room!  

The bronze and crystal sconces are antiques.  They were not electrified when I found them, so Dan wired them for electricity.   I positioned them on the wall and our electrician rough-wired for the sconces,  then the walls were entirely covered with the pine boards and painted.  We took many measurements, but I was still nervous, when months later, he went to drill small holes (notice how narrow the back plates of the sconces are) through the wood and fish out the wiring.  Our wonderful electrician made it look like a piece of cake and found both wires easily.  It was a very good day!
The sconces (as does the chandelier) have real-wax candle covers.  Close up photos here.

This antique rug is at the base of the stairs coming down from the kitchen.  

Antique French wine tasting table.  

The large demi-john lamp was found in Maine and has an antique brass finial we made from a grandfather's clock finial.  The decorative iron piece is from a widows-walk off an antique house.  The carved white wood base was found at an antique shop and we married the two pieces.

Antique Chinese blue and white double happiness temple jar is one of a pair- its mate is on the work table under the barn door.  Pair of wood candlesticks shares the table with a white wood corbel on top of a stack of books, a vintage oil painting, mercury glass-type candle holders and a vintage leather dice cup which holds antique dice. (I've always loved Yahtzee, and find rolling dice trying to get all "sixes," relaxing;)   Look closely and you'll see a horizontal line in the wall boards to the right of the herbarium.  That is the hidden electronics cabinet that houses all of the tv/stereo equipment.  It opens using a push clasp. All of our electronic equipment uses radio frequency (as opposed to infrared) which enables the door to remain closed during use since the signal goes directly through the door.

The table also holds this vintage photo.... this is Rex- my father's childhood dog.  My father was the second youngest of 11 children and grew up Mississippi during the depression.  His mother died when he was only 15, and he went to live with an older sister in Texas while his younger brother went to live with another older sibling.  I have heartbreaking letters from him where he wrote to a sister about how much he missed everyone being together and especially missed his dog Rex, who stayed in Mississippi.  You've seen my collection of old dog photographs in the reading room, but this one, of course, is my favorite.

Herbarium  (50 different specimens) is American and they were made by Lulu M. Cowan in 1894.
 I bought the herbarium 9 years ago online.  I was only  able to view about 8 different examples in the collection, but I took a leap of faith that they would all be viable and was pleasantly pleased to have all but about 5 intact.  In Dallas I could only hang 27 of them in our living room, so I was thrilled to finally have the whole collection displayed together.   I chose to hang them in frameless frames, feeling that grouping that many "frames" together would distract from the effect of them as a whole.  Thankfully,  I framed them all at the same time years ago instead of only framing the ones I  was able to use in Dallas.  That made it so much easier when it came time to hang them here!   Each plant specimen is beautiful and special, and every single one is my favorite!  Many still have faint colors from the original plant/flower.
The herbarium was expertly hung by Dan using a tape measure, laser level, a three-foot carpenter level, the "mark 1" eyeball (a military term) and countless trips up and down a ladder to get them just right.  The laser level,  measuring tape and carpenter level didn't always read the same at many checkpoints, but somehow he hung them all to specification and perfection!  The hanging took two full days over Thanksgiving one year... I didn't watch;  I was thankfully in the kitchen preparing the meal!  When he had finished hanging the last one and had me come into the room, I cried.  The house truly felt like "home" seeing the whole collection hanging in this room.
Coral pillow on sofa (cover found at the Scott Show) is made from an antique rug.
You can see the beautiful cross-bar supports on the coffee table from this angle.

Closeup of Lulu's writing about this particular specimen.  

So happy to finally show you the barn room!