A Modern Barn House Befits Rural Wisconsin

Modeled after the surrounding 19th-century barns, this house takes old-fashioned rural style style to the 21st century. The owners craved the nation life to pack up their city house, buy this farm in rural Wisconsin and employ Alchemy Architects and Empire Development and Construction to help them build a new house to fit the traditional landscape. Salvaged materials, eco friendly features and advanced design alternatives helped the few cut down costs while creating their dream house.

at a Glance
Who lives here: A former city couple, now small-town farmers
Location: Blair, Wisconsin
Size: 1,780 square feet, including basement; 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths

Empire Development & Construction

The house’s simple form and its locally chosen white oak rain display permit the house to match with the barns around the house. The far wall is built out at a slight angle — it goes from 0 to 4 feet outside at the very top, making a slightly angled facade.

Empire Development & Construction

This covered outdoor living area opens just beyond the inside great room. Designed as a cool, shaded place for hanging out in the summer, the distance was built like a post-frame building by by Tony Szak of Empire Development. Slatted siding lets in natural light, but the final roof keeps out the rain.

Empire Development & Construction

The owners wanted their house to fit seamlessly into the rural community, where many families have lived in the same homes for generations. Salvaged and worn wood reflects the subtle appearance that the clients were going for.

Outdoor chairs: Sawyer, CB2 (no longer accessible ); cushions: Goal

Empire Development & Construction

Project architect Geoffrey Warner relied upon his experience with light design — and his Eagle Scout rope abilities — to create the light in the excellent room. The low-tech chandelier could be brought down to a lower elevation or raised for loftier functions. The light itself is made from insect screening, which reduces the bulb’s warmth.

Empire Development & Construction

The team attempted to keep materials cheap and durable, translating the layout in a manner that encouraged the farm-based appearance. The owners selected, planed and sanded the white oak boards for the ceiling and walls in the home living area.

The easy, spacious kitchen has Richlite counters made of ecofriendly paper-based composites, Ikea cabinetry and one splurge: a Carrara marble tile counter tops.

Empire Development & Construction

The house’s eco-friendly attributes include geothermal heating, an incorporated rain gutter and cistern, passive solar shading and concrete thermal mass floors. While the environment was certainly a concern, many of these options came about because of budget. “There has been much attention on making the layout look large while being flexible as effective as you can, which served both the ecological and financial demands,” says Warner.

Empire Development & Construction

A steel-plated attic above the living space creates a cozy nook for viewing TV. Ikea cabinetry provides plenty of storage.

Empire Development & Construction

A modern bench sits in the stairwell just outside the kitchen. The wood comes from an 8-by-10 beam in the barn on the property. The wife designed the seat, working with the exact same artisan who designed their custom steel handrails.

The few immediately learned how to become useful with all kinds of materials and tools, and fell in love with this low-tech side of their farm lifestyle, bringing inventiveness and enthusiasm to their new residence. “We’d suggest things that they either got right away and embraced for its practical quirkiness, or might kind of grip off before returning almost apologetically with a much better solution,” Warner says.

Empire Development & Construction

A reading nook sits above the house’s main living area.

Empire Development & Construction

The homeowners had a big hand in designing the master bathroom, to the purpose of making their bathroom surround and vanity. Slate floor walnut and tile mosaic wall tiles contribute to your home’s contemporary ambiance. The tub, similar to a Japanese soaking tub, takes up minimum space.

Bathtub: Americh Beverly 4040; wall tile: Sonterra Opalized Glass in Mint and Oyster White

Empire Development & Construction

The fir wood liner this hallway had a previous life as hardwood flooring in the wife’s childhood home. After sanding the pieces down, she utilized a watered-down latex paint to provide them glow.

Empire Development & Construction

The property has several other constructions on it, including a smaller farmhouse the few lived in at first, a granary, a workshop and a large red barn (hardly visible to the right). Initially they considered building a house within the shell of this barn. Now the barn houses sheep, goats, and other creatures as well as their mushroom crop. The few are vegetarians; they grow most of their food on site and sell milk in the goats and sheep into local cheesemakers.

Empire Development & Construction

At night the light filters through the display on the outdoor seating area, creating a comforting glow in the nation darkness.

See related