Today, I am so excited to share a home tour of @the.old.barn with you! Designed, self-contracted, decorated and photographed by the homeowner, Jessica, you can see the detail and thought that went into every single space! I asked Jessica to introduce herself to you and here is what she had to say:
“I am Jessica and my husband is Cody. We have 2 boys, Barrett (13) and Kyle (12), and a 9 year old daughter, Annabelle. I have a Masters in Architecture and I designed multi-million dollar homes at a Dallas architecture firm before we had kids. When I became a mom, I left my architecture job and followed another passion, photography, to have more flexibility in my schedule and be home with my kids more.
Fast forward a few years, the kids are older and we were starting to feel like we were not living our best life. Life in the city was beginning to feel like it was spinning out of control like a hurricane. We knew we needed to make a change, find our calm center in the eye of the storm. We know we can’t stop the hurricane, but we can provide/be a safe place to land when things get rough.
“When your roots are deep, you don’t need to fear the wind.”
We craved a slower pace and decided we needed to get off of the hamster wheel and make a change. We wanted to design this house with spaces for connecting and slowing down. I wanted this house to be a place that makes our family, friends and everyone who enters feel comfortable, relaxed, and enjoy spending time together, planting those deep roots. I’m hoping to get a fresh start and fill our lives with the good stuff, leave some old habits behind and find new hobbies and rituals. Rituals like Scrabble Sundays on the screened porch, long lingering dinners, nature walks by the lake, doing homework and making our Christmas cookies around the kitchen island, coffee or tea on the front porch watching the kids play on the swing hanging from the tree out front. My family is the reason for pretty much everything I do.
I designed our home and my husband and I self-contracted the build. (This is actually our second time to self-contract a home I designed). We just moved in October of 2019 and we still have many projects to finish, but we have already had some fun scrabble games, front porch chats in the porch swing and barbeque dinner on the patio. Sharing my home build pictures has reignited my passion for home design and I am working on getting our house plans ready to sell as a construction set.
Let’s jump in to the tour!
The front porch is just begging for a relaxing day spent in the rocking chairs and a glass of tea; all you need is your furry best friend, sharing a snooze and a treat or two. The white bright exterior looks clean and quiet. Ample lighting outside means that evenings can be spent outdoors even after the sun goes down. The lower-wrapped brick around the house adds a warm touch to the exterior.
Exterior:
Paint Color: Sherwin Williams Pure White
Shingle roof: Certainteed, color: Georgetown Gray
Metal Roof Color: Gray
Front Doors: Millwork City
Windows: PlyGem
Materials: Hardiboard, Board and Batten, and brick (some painted, some unpainted)
What charming country home wouldn’t be complete with a cozy kitchen and a beautiful built-in china cabinet, showcasing everyday items nestled next to delicate pieces. Since everything is done up in whites or marble, the small bits of light colored wood brings some warmth to the room, found framing the kitchen sink and the pantry door. Easy clutter fixes, like a hidden coffee corner, makes for a clean and inspired kitchen. And, of course, the farmhouse organization and décor doesn’t stop at the pantry, where you can find jars with Pinterest-worthy labels and baskets housing treats and staples.
Kitchen
From Jessica- “I have a hard time choosing a favorite room. The kitchen is so important design-wise because it needs to be functional as well as beautiful. I like to give rooms a focal point and I love using centering and symmetry as a tool to draw the eye to those focal points. In the kitchen, the main focal point is the range and hood. As the hearth of the kitchen, the range/range hood signify that this is a gathering place. With space for 4 counter stools on one side, the large 4’ x 8’ island is a great spot for snacks, homework and chatting with the cook. It holds a microwave drawer and lots of drawers for storage. The hutch to the left and the sink/window to the right are secondary focal points. With a brand new all white kitchen, I wanted to bring in warmth and character. The wood beam and columns reclaimed from a barn built in the 1800s was just the warm touch it needed. “
Kitchen:
Wall Paint: Sherwin Williams Reserved White, satin
Trim Paint: Sherwin Williams Pure White, Semi gloss Cabinet Paint: Sherwin Williams Pure white, Semi gloss enamel Cabinets: white shaker style Counters: Silver Macaubus Quartzite Backsplash: White Subway
Pendant Over Sink: Amazon
Island Pendants: Wayfair
Pot Filler: Amazon
Microwave Drawer: Overstock
Pantry
Pantry:
Living Room
High, wooden ceilings with crisscrossed joists washed in white makes the living room feel open and large. A brick fireplace with a wood mantel makes for a great décor spot, no matter the season. The walls of the home are left in the same white throughout the house so you can fall in love with the simple beauty of this property. While bright colored walls and large paintings can be fun, all white walls and ceiling means that you can have fun with your décor, especially when it comes to Christmas, and add velvety plush chairs in vivid blues, looking chic, but absolutely not out of place in this gorgeous home.
Flooring: Build Direct
Family dinners and gatherings work well in a spacious dining room. The aged side board adds old-world elegance to the room, nestled nicely beside the old wooden table that could easily be imagined as passed down through generations
The laundry and mudroom is decorated in the same herringbone tile as the guest bathroom and in the same simple and clean design as the rest of the house, keeping its functionality, but not losing its country charm. There is plenty of space for muddy boots, storage, and heaping piles of laundry. Glass jars make laundry items like detergent a pretty sight.
Master Bedroom & Bath
The master bedroom and en-suite are cottage chic with a gorgeous, light and airy master bath with double vanities and a soaker tub with a window for daydreaming. The mantel and framing of a fireplace provides a cozy aesthetic without the headache of keeping a fireplace in the bedroom. The same white, wood walls and simple black and glass pendant lighting makes for a simple touch of beauty.
Guest Bath
The guest bath has a little more fun with whimsical and old parings like herringbone tiles, a funky pendant light, and an armoire-inspired vanity with taps coming right out of the wall, bringing you back over a century in plumbing design.
Children’s Bedroom and Bath
