Houzz Tour: Rough-and-Tumble Refinement
Explore this barn-inspired home that’s designed for an outdoors-loving family
Life for this family of five in the Rocky Mountain foothills includes many hours outside in the elements: riding trails, hunting and snuggling around campfires. When it came to designing their new house, they wanted a space that blended the rustic charms of the region with just enough refinement to make it a space ideal for hosting family and friends. The result has the outdoorsy family spending a little more time inside than it’s used to, but no one is complaining.
The kitchen is figuratively and literally the center of the home. “This is a family that likes to host large parties for extended family and friends,” designer Jennifer Medoff says. “They wanted a kitchen that felt inviting, comfortable and timeless.” Salvaged fir beams frame the space and were used to create a bar, complete with four stools made with repurposed tractor seats.
A mix of materials makes the kitchen feel as if it has evolved over time. Different stains and colors for the cabinets, an antique mounted plate rack and open shelves showcasing a collection of new and old serving ware create an eclectic space that’s difficult to peg to a particular period.
The kitchen floor looks like terra-cotta tile but it’s actually glazed concrete tile. “Terra cotta can often crack over time, and this kitchen is a very high-traffic area for this family,” Medoff says. “Concrete tiles will last much longer.”
The earthy hues of the floor are a nice complement to the statement-making custom copper hood above the gas range.
The earthy hues of the floor are a nice complement to the statement-making custom copper hood above the gas range.
Antique metal bins have been integrated into many of the cabinet drawers to add an authentic touch. “It’s all about the details,” Medoff says. “Those surprising touches when you open a cabinet add to the sense that this home was well-considered and -constructed.”
Medoff jokes that she had some grand plans for the living room but that the homeowners had a collection of furniture they really wanted to keep. “In nearly all the other rooms, a lot of new pieces were purchased, but they were pretty attached to their living room furniture.” Since it’s also the space where the family spends most of its time, it’s probably a good thing the furniture isn’t too precious. The antler chandelier, however, was a new purchase.
A large farmhouse table that seats up to 10 is ideal for large family gatherings. Two velvet tufted host chairs help to soften the rustic piece. The back wall is covered in reclaimed wood from Montana Ghost Wood, the same material that covers the home’s exterior. “It’s nice to connect the exterior to the interior,” Medoff says. “And because the ceilings are so high, there would have been too much white drywall if we didn’t bring in the wood.”
The first-floor powder room contains a wealth of repurposed materials. The sink is made from an old galvanized-steel milk pail, the sconces are fashioned out of plumbing fixtures and the mirror was once a window frame. “There’s a lot of character in this powder room. Basically nothing is standard-issue,” Medoff says.
The master bedroom includes custom casement windows to take advantage of the expansive second-floor views of the the Rocky Mountain foothills. The wall behind the bed features the same reclaimed-wood siding used in the dining room.
The master bathroom includes two oval mirrors with wood backs hung from the ceiling by two rusted metal chains. By facing the mirrors in opposite directions and having the sinks catty-corner atop the vanity, two people can get ready in the morning without bumping shoulders. Instead of adding more built-in cabinets, Medoff added a small dresser at the end of the vanity to provide additional storage.
The top-floor bunkhouse includes four equal-size spaces separated by fir beams. Medoff added iron curtain rods and hung red and white toile drapes so each space can be closed off for privacy. An antique drafting table provides a station to write notes or draw.
The bunkhouse bathroom features a walk-in shower with a galvanized-steel siding surround that was salvaged from an old barn. “The family absolutely loves this shower,” Medoff says. “Their only regret is that they didn’t add the same reclaimed siding to all of the showers in the house.”
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Who lives here: A young family of four
Location: Castle Rock, Colorado
Size: About 7,000 square feet (about 650.3 square meters)
Designer: Jennifer Medoff of Dragonfly Designs
To keep an open feel, an entryway closet was rejected in favor of coat hooks on one side of the front door and a large armoire on the other. The rough-hewn wood floors and chandelier made from wine barrel staves provide rustic charm that’s balanced by the modern stainless steel stair rails and floating stair treads.