This newly built custom residence turned out to be spectacular. With Interiors by Popov’s magic touch, it has become a real family home that is comfortable for the grownups, safe for the kids and friendly to the little dogs that now occupy this space.The start of construction was a bumpy road for the homeowners. After the house was framed, our clients found themselves paralyzed with the million and one decisions that had to be made. Decisions about plumbing, electrical, millwork, hardware and exterior left them drained and overwhelmed. The couple needed help. It was at this point that they were referred to us by a friend.We immediately went about systematizing the selection and design process, which allowed us to streamline decision making and stay ahead of construction. We designed every detail in this house. And when I say every detail, I mean it. We designed lighting, plumbing, millwork, hard surfaces, exterior, kitchen, bathrooms, fireplace and so much more. After the construction-related items were addressed, we moved to furniture, rugs, lamps, art, accessories, bedding and so on. The result of our systematic approach and design vision was a client head over heels in love with their new home. The positive feedback we received from this homeowner was immensely gratifying. They said the only thing that they regret was not hiring Interiors by Popov sooner!

This expansive outdoor deck and garden is the ultimate in luxury entertaining, lounging, dining and includes amenities for shade, a vegetable garden, outdoor seating, outdoor dining, grilling and a glass enclosure with heaters to get the most enjoyment and extended use year round. Rooftopia incorporated multiple customized Renson pergolas into the central dining and lounge areas. Each of three Renson pergola systems and their unique features are controlled with the touch of a button. The motorized overhead louvers can be enjoyed open or fully closed to provide shade and a waterproof cover. Each pergola has integrated dimmable LED lighting in the roof blades or louvers. The seating and lounge area was designed with gorgeous modern furnishings and a luxurious fire table. The lounge area can be fully enclosed by sliding glass panels around its walls, to capture the heat from the fire table and integrated Renson heaters. A privacy and shade screen can also be retractable at the west to offer another layer of protection from the intensity of the setting sun. The lounges also feature an integrated sound system and mobile TV cabinet so the space can be used year round to stay warm and cozy while watching a movie or a football game. The outdoor kitchen and dining area features appliances by Hestan and highly customized concrete countertops with matching shelves mounted on the wall. The aluminum cabinets are custom made by Urban Bonfire and feature accessories for storing kitchen items like dishes, appliances, beverages, an ice maker and receptacles for recycling and refuse. The Renson pergola over the dining area also integrates a set of sliding loggia panels to offer a modern backdrop, add privacy and block the sun. Rooftopia partnered with the talented Derek Lerner for original artwork that was transformed into a large-scale mural, and with the help of Chicago Sign Systems, the artwork was enlarged, printed and installed as one full wall of the penthouse. This artwork is truly a special part of the design. Rooftopia customized the design of the planter boxes in partnership with ORE Designs to streamline the look and finish of the metal planter containers. Many of the planter boxes also have toe kick lighting to improve the evening ambiance. Several large planters are home to birch trees, ornamental grasses, annual flowers and the design incorporates containers for seasonal vegetables and an herb garden. Our teams partnered with Architects, Structural engineers, electricians, plumbers and sound engineers to upgrade the roof to support the pergola systems, integrate lighting and appliances, an automatic watering system and outdoor sound systems. This large residential roof deck required a multi year development, permitting and installation timeline, proving that the best things are worth the wait.

See what our client say about Paul Lopa Designs. I started my search for a contractor about a year before I hired Paul to do a kitchen and bathroom renovation. This was my first time at the bat, and I really had no idea what to expect. I had many contractor proposals that swung wildly in price but for some reason I never felt inclined to hire any of the guys I met with. I happened to be looking at Houzz one day and came across Paul’s company and he had very good reviews. I gave him a call and he came to my apartment quickly. I liked him immediately when we met. I thought it was strange that he asked me for my budget and how much I wanted to spend but in hindsight, providing that information allowed Paul to come back to me with a very detailed proposal based on my budget. I soon realized that the lower proposals I had did not include many of the budget items that would be necessary to complete the job. Paul laid out the pricing and provided a very reasonable “allowance” based on your measurements for tile, toilet, sinks, etc. It is up to you to stay within that allowance.

Inspired by the iconic American farmhouse, this transitional home blends a modern sense of space and living with traditional form and materials. Details are streamlined and modernized, while the overall form echoes American nastolgia. Past the expansive and welcoming front patio, one enters through the element of glass tying together the two main brick masses. The airiness of the entry glass wall is carried throughout the home with vaulted ceilings, generous views to the outside and an open tread stair with a metal rail system. The modern openness is balanced by the traditional warmth of interior details, including fireplaces, wood ceiling beams and transitional light fixtures, and the restrained proportion of windows. The home takes advantage of the Colorado sun by maximizing the southern light into the family spaces and Master Bedroom, orienting the Kitchen, Great Room and informal dining around the outdoor living space through views and multi-slide doors, the formal Dining Room spills out to the front patio through a wall of French doors, and the 2nd floor is dominated by a glass wall to the front and a balcony to the rear. As a home for the modern family, it seeks to balance expansive gathering spaces throughout all three levels, both indoors and out, while also providing quiet respites such as the 5-piece Master Suite flooded with southern light, the 2nd floor Reading Nook overlooking the street, nestled between the Master and secondary bedrooms, and the Home Office projecting out into the private rear yard. This home promises to flex with the family looking to entertain or stay in for a quiet evening.

Where to start describing this amazing open kitchen! A large white granite island and farm sink compliment dark wood cabinets and stainless appliances - including a large gas cook top and built-in oven/microwave combo. The open plan connects directly to the Great Room and Dining Room so the chef in the home can stay connected with family and visitors while preparing a large meal. Under cabinet lighting and unique pendants provide warmth to the space, which is topped off, quite literally, with a faux painted barrel vault ceiling that has its own hidden cove lighting. From this perspective you can also see into the spacious Great Room and out the wall of windows to the views beyond.

This open kitchen features a large island – and what better way to complement the kitchen island than with an island range hood? It's an exceptionally functional addition to this kitchen, which is already quite functional; the sink and pans are both readily accessible. With the PLFI 750, this homeowner will enjoy pristine kitchen air too. The PLFI 750 is a beautiful island range hood for your kitchen. It features a unique, sleek rectangular design that looks great in any kitchen. The PLFI 750 includes an 1100 CFM blower. With this powerful blower, you can cook fried, greasy, Chinese, and other high-heat foods with ease. Your kitchen air will stay incredibly clean and you'll be comfortable while cooking. This island hood is also versatile, allowing you to adjust between six different blower speeds. The PLFI 750 includes dishwasher-safe stainless steel baffle filters. This saves you time cleaning and gives you more time to spend with your family or guests. Four LED lights brighten your range, keeping you on task while cooking. There's no need to find additional lighting! Take a look at the specs below: Hood depth: 23.6" Hood height: 3.2" Sones: 7.8 Duct size: 10" Number of lights: 4 Power: 110v / 60 hz For more information, click on the link below. https://www.prolinerangehoods.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=PLFI%20750

This full basement renovation included adding a mudroom area, media room, a bedroom, a full bathroom, a game room, a kitchen, a gym and a beautiful custom wine cellar. Our clients are a family that is growing, and with a new baby, they wanted a comfortable place for family to stay when they visited, as well as space to spend time themselves. They also wanted an area that was easy to access from the pool for entertaining, grabbing snacks and using a new full pool bath.We never treat a basement as a second-class area of the house. Wood beams, customized details, moldings, built-ins, beadboard and wainscoting give the lower level main-floor style. There’s just as much custom millwork as you’d see in the formal spaces upstairs. We’re especially proud of the wine cellar, the media built-ins, the customized details on the island, the custom cubbies in the mudroom and the relaxing flow throughout the entire space.

JDBG is wrapping up work on an expansive 2-story sunroom addition that also included modifications to the existing home’s interior and significant exterior improvements as well. The original project brief was to provide a conditioned 4-season sunroom addition where the homeowners could relax and enjoy their wooded views. As we delved deeper into our client’s overall objectives, it became clear that this would be no ordinary sunroom addition. The resulting 16’x25’ sunroom is a showstopper with 10’ high ceilings and wall to wall windows offering expansive views of the surrounding landscape. As we recommend with most addition projects, the process started with our Preliminary Design Study to determine project goals, design concepts, project feasibility and associated budget estimates. During this process, our design team worked to ensure that both interior and exterior were fully integrated. We conducted in-depth programming to identify key goals and needs which would inform the design and performed a field survey and zoning analysis to identify any constraints that could impact the plans. The next step was to develop conceptual designs that addressed the program requirements. Using a combination of 3-D massing, interior/exterior renderings, precedent imaging and space planning, the design concept was revised and refined. At the end of the study we had an approved schematic design and comprehensive budget estimates for the 2-story addition and were ready to move into design development, construction documentation, trade coordination, and final pricing. A complex project such as this involves architectural and interior design, structural and civil engineering, landscape design and environmental considerations. Multiple trades and subs are engaged during construction, from HVAC to electrical and plumbing, framers, carpenters and masons, roofers and painters just to name a few. JDBG was there every step of the way to ensure quality construction. Other notable features of the renovation included expanding the home’s existing dining room, incorporating a custom ‘dish room,’ and providing fully conditioned storage and his & her workrooms on the lower level. A new front portico will visually connect the old and new structures and a brand new roof, shutters and paint will further transform the exterior. Thoughtful planning was also given to the landscape, including a back deck, stone patio and walkways, plantings and exterior lighting. Stay tuned for more photos as this sunroom addition nears completion.

Adam Gibson
Example of an eclectic kitchen design in Indianapolis

Primary bathroom remodel with steel blue double vanity and tower linen cabinet, quartz countertop, petite free-standing soaking tub, custom shower with floating bench and glass doors, herringbone porcelain tile floor, v-groove wall paneling, white ceramic subway tile in shower, and a beautiful color palette of blues, taupes, creams and sparkly chrome.

This modern farmhouse kitchen is in a former 1820s stable converted into a home. Natural cherry and soft green painted cabinet finishes paired with Zellige tile accents and beamed ceilings reflect the vintage character of the old barn and compliment the open plan of the space. The Sub-Zero refrigerator is hidden in plain sight while the 48” Wolf range and steam oven are positioned perfectly, allowing this family to stay together while cooking, socializing and eating. By moving the cramped kitchen to the opposite side of the home, this Morris County New Jersey kitchen and bath remodeler was able to take advantage of a much larger and underutilized space while also improving the overall flow in the remainder of the home.

This beautiful custom wine cellar / wine wall / wine room in San Juan Capistrano, Orange County, California is truly a jaw dropper. Vintage Cellars, wine cellar builders out of san diego, california, were able to design and build this masterpiece as a major centerpoint of this dining room and kitchen. A custom wine cellar designed and built by vintage wine cellars out of San Diego, California - this custom wine wall has tons of unique and noteworthy features throughout. The bottom of the cellar begins with multiple areas for wine case storage and other bulk storage options. The great thing about this space is that it was designed for multi-use capability, leaving ample room to store multiple layers deep of single bottle storage as well. Directly above the case storage lie multiple layers of easy pull out shelving on smooth rolling tracks, seamlessly allowing for drawer sliding with no risk of bottle movement or abrupt stops. These are fantastic features to have, especially in the case of having flights of wines from your favorite wineries. A collection of 2010 through 2016 Larkmeade Cabernet Sauvignon bottles from Napa have never looked so good. In the center, a small countertop and opening are used for a practical space to open and decant wines. Glass shelving features and acrylic wine racking dividers make for a fun, transparent, and sleek looking centerpiece. On either side of this wine wall feature / kitchen wine cellar are long rows of high reveal display of wine bottles, carefully designed and engineered to lay down properly so that the cork will stay wet and wines are aged perfectly and gracefully over time. These display rows act as fantastic "show off" sections - perfectly highlighting each bottle's respective label and giving you the ability to really display your gems. More sections sit above these displays, turning the bottles inward and facing them cork out. In this certain circumstance and with this specific client's collection, these sections really popped with color and intrigue with many cases of the same wines being placed into the racking. Intense hues of Red and Yellow POP, keeping this wine cellar interesting and a pleasure to look at no matter what section you're exploring. Horizontal stainless steel metal rods are Integrated into the custom cabinetry horizontally and angled across each multiple sections, again offering another unique and different design feature, now with wine bottle labels facing outward and completely visible. This look in custom wine wall / custom wine cellar / custom wine room / custom wine display / custom wine storage solutions is a great way to integrate modern nuances into your cellar. Accents of metal into an otherwise "traditional" wooden wine cellar can actually add a unique change of pace and give an entire new breath of life to an existing wine storage space. 700 bottle capacity, with room for magnum storage above. Vintage Cellars enjoys working directly with NOE Design Co. and MAIDEN Steel companies when integrating a major glass door feature. The quality of work is second to none, unparalleled, and we are able to ensure that our clients are left with an absolutely stunning, but more importantly, 100% perfectly sealed and specified door and stainless steel framing system. With so many different kinds of wine racks / wine racking / wine cellar designs and styles, you can really go in any and every direction in the discovery and design phase of a custom wine cellar project. The Custom wine cellar builder custom wine cellar builders team at Vintage Cellars make the entire process exciting, informative, and smooth from start to finish. Vintage Cellars has built gorgeous custom wine cellars and wine storage rooms across the United States and World for over 25 years. We are your go-to business for anything wine cellar and wine storage related! Whether you're interested in a wine closet, wine racking, custom wine racks, a custom wine cellar door, or a cooling system for your existing space, Vintage Cellars has you covered! We carry all kinds of wine cellar cooling and refrigeration systems, incuding: Breezaire, CellarCool, WhisperKool, Wine Guardian, CellarPro and Commercial systems. We also carry many types of Wine Refrigerators, Wine Cabinets, and wine racking types, including La Cache, Marvel, N'Finity, Transtherm, Vinotheque, Vintage Series, Credenza, Walk in wine rooms, Climadiff, Riedel, Fontenay, and VintageView. Vintage Cellars also does work in many styles, including Contemporary and Modern, Rustic, Farmhouse, Traditional, Craftsman, Industrial, Mediterranean, Mid-Century, Industrial and Eclectic. Some locations we cover often include: Agora Hills, Alameda, Albany, Alhambra, Aliso Viejo, Altadena, Anaheim, Angwin, Arcadia, Aromas, Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Atherton, Avila Beach, Balboa Terrace, Bel Air, Belmont, Belvedere, Benton, Berkeley, Bermuda Dunes, Beverly Hills, Big Sur, Bolinas, Boyle Heights, Bradbury, Bradley, Brea, Brentwood, Bridgeport, Brisbane, Buellton, Buena Park, Burbank, Burlingame, Calabasas, Calistoga, Cambria, Canoga Park, Cardiff, Carlsbad, Carmel, Carmel By The Sea, Carmel Valley, Carnelian Bay, Carpinteria, Casmalia, Castroville, Cathedral City, Cayucos, Chatsworth, Chualar, City of LA, City of SF, Coachella, Coleville, Colma, Corona Del Mar, Coronado, Coronado Island, Corte Madera, Costa Mesa, Coto De Caza, Creston, Crystal Cove, Cupertino, Cypress, Danville, Deer Park, Del Mar, Diablo, Duarte, Eagle Rock, East Palo Alto, East Pasadena, Echo Park, El Granada, El Monte, Emeryville, Encinitas, Encino, Fairfax, Foster City, Fountain Valley, Fremont, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Glendale, Golden Gate Park, Goleta, Gonzales, Granada Hills, Granite Bay, Greenbrae, Greenfield, Grover Beach, Guadalupe, Half Moon Bay, Hancock Park, Harmony, Hidden Hills, Hillsborough, Hollywood, Hollywood Hills, Huntington Beach, Indian Wells, Indio, Industry, Inner Richmond, Inverness, Irvine, Jolon, June Lake, Kentfield, King City, La Canada Flintridge, La Habra, La Honda, La Jolla, La Palma, La Quinta, Ladera Heights, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Balboa, Lake Forest, Lake Tahoe, Lake View Terrace, Larkspur, Laurel Canyon, Lee Vining, Lockwood, Lompoc, Long Beach, Los Alamitos, Los Alamos, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Angeles, Los Gatos, Los Olivos, Los Osos, Malibu, Mammoth Lakes, Manhattan Beach, Marin, Marina, Marshall, Mayflower Village, Menlo Park, Mill Valley, Millbrae, Mission Hills, Mission Viejo, Mono, Monrovia, Montara, Montebello, Monterey, Monterey Park, Morro Bay, Moss Beach, Moss Landing, Mountain View, Napa, New Cuyama, Newark, Newport Beach, Newport Coast, Nicasio, Nipomo, North Hills, Northridge, Novato, Oakland, Oakville, Ocean Beach, Oceano, Orange, Orange County, Pacific Grove, Pacific Palisades, Pacoima, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Palo Alto, Palos Verdes, Panorama City, Pasadena, Paso Robles, Pebble Beach, Pescadero, Piedmont, Pismo Beach, Placentia, Point Reyes Station, Pope Valley, Portola Valley, Presidio, Presidio Heights, Rancho Mirage, Rancho Santa Fe, Rancho Santa Margarita, Redondo Beach, Redwood City, Reseda, Rosemead, Russian Cliff, Rutherford, Saint Helena, Salinas, San Anselmo, San Ardo, San Bruno, San Carlos, San Clemente, San Diego, San Fernando, San Francisco, San Gabriel, San Gregorio, San Jose, San Juan Capistrano, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, San Lucas, San Luis Obispo, San Marino, San Mateo, San Miguel, San Rafael, San Simeon, Santa Ana, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Clarita, Santa Margarita, Santa Maria, Santa Monica, Santa Ynez, Saratoga, Sausalito, Sea Cliff, Seal Beach, Seaside, Shadow Hills, Shandon, Sherman Oaks, Sierra Madre, Silver Lake, Solana Beach, Soledad, Solvang, Sonoma, South El Monte, South Pasadena, South San Gabriel, Spreckels, Squaw Valley, St Helena, Stanford, Stanton, Stinson Beach, Stough Park, Studio City, Summerland, Sun Valley, Sunland, Sunnyvale, Sylmar, Tahoe City, Tahoe Vista, Tarzana, Temple City, Templeton, Thousand Oaks, Thousand Palms, Tiburon, Toluca Lake, Topanga, Topaz, Torrey Pines, Tujanga, Tustin, Union City, Valencia, Verdugo Mountains, Vernon, Villa Park, Walnut, Walnut Creek, West Puente Valley, Westminster, Westwood, Whittier, Woodside, Yorba Linda, Yountville San Diego Wine Cellars, Rancho Santa Fe Wine Cellars, Beverly Hills Wine Cellars, Bel Air Wine Cellars, Orange County Wine Cellars, Newport Beach Wine Cellars, San Francisco Wine Cellars, Napa Wine Cellars, Sonoma Wine Cellars, Los Angeles Wine Cellars, Santa Barbara Wine Cellars, Palm Desert Wine Cellars, La Jolla Wine Cellars, Del Mar Wine Cellars, Coronado Wine Cellars, Pacific Palisades Wine Cellars, Malibu Wine Cellars, Santa Monica Wine Cellars, Brentwood Wine Cellars, Laguna Wine Cellars, Crystal Cove Wine Cellars, Hollywood Wine Cellars, Bay Area Wine Cellars, South Bay Wine Cellars, LA Wine Cellars, SD Wine Cellars, OC Wine Cellars, SF Wine Cellars, Huntington Beach Wine Cellars, Carlsbad Wine Cellars, Palos Verdes Wine Cellars, Paso Robles Wine Cellars, Encinitas Wine Cellars, Manhattan Beach Wine Cellars, Marin Wine Cellars, Tiburon Wine Cellars, Coto De Caza Wine Cellars, Thousand Oaks Wine Cellars, Cardiff Wine Cellars, RSF Wine Cellars, San Marino Wine Cellars, Ladera Heights Wine Cellars, Westwood Wine Cellars, Hillsborough Wine Cellars, Luxury Wine Cellars, Custom Wine Cellars, High End Wine Cellars, Estate Wine Cellars, Modern Wine Cellars, Contemporary Wine Cellars, Rustic Wine Cellars, Traditional Wine Cellars Contact Vintage Cellars today with any of your Wine Cellar needs! (800) 876-8789 Vintage Cellars 904 Rancheros Drive San Marcos, California 92069 (800) 876-8789

Inspired by the iconic American farmhouse, this transitional home blends a modern sense of space and living with traditional form and materials. Details are streamlined and modernized, while the overall form echoes American nastolgia. Past the expansive and welcoming front patio, one enters through the element of glass tying together the two main brick masses. The airiness of the entry glass wall is carried throughout the home with vaulted ceilings, generous views to the outside and an open tread stair with a metal rail system. The modern openness is balanced by the traditional warmth of interior details, including fireplaces, wood ceiling beams and transitional light fixtures, and the restrained proportion of windows. The home takes advantage of the Colorado sun by maximizing the southern light into the family spaces and Master Bedroom, orienting the Kitchen, Great Room and informal dining around the outdoor living space through views and multi-slide doors, the formal Dining Room spills out to the front patio through a wall of French doors, and the 2nd floor is dominated by a glass wall to the front and a balcony to the rear. As a home for the modern family, it seeks to balance expansive gathering spaces throughout all three levels, both indoors and out, while also providing quiet respites such as the 5-piece Master Suite flooded with southern light, the 2nd floor Reading Nook overlooking the street, nestled between the Master and secondary bedrooms, and the Home Office projecting out into the private rear yard. This home promises to flex with the family looking to entertain or stay in for a quiet evening.

Barry Griffin
Inspiration for a large timeless l-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Richmond with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, soapstone countertops, beige backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Designed by Daniel Altmann of Reico Kitchen & Bath's Bethesda, MD location, this transitional kitchen remodel features Merillat Classic cabinets in the Portrait door style in Maple with a Chiffon finish with Cambria Laneshaw countertops. Photos courtesy of BTW Images LLC / www.btwimages.com

This modern farmhouse kitchen is in a former 1820s stable converted into a home. Natural cherry and soft green painted cabinet finishes paired with Zellige tile accents and beamed ceilings reflect the vintage character of the old barn and compliment the open plan of the space. The Sub-Zero refrigerator is hidden in plain sight while the 48” Wolf range and steam oven are positioned perfectly, allowing this family to stay together while cooking, socializing and eating. By moving the cramped kitchen to the opposite side of the home, this Morris County New Jersey kitchen and bath remodeler was able to take advantage of a much larger and underutilized space while also improving the overall flow in the remainder of the home.

I was hired as the interior designer for HGTV's House Hunters: Renovation to help a young couple remodel their living/dining room in their new home that needed major work. Their style, as they describe it was vintage meets old lady chic with pops of modern industrial. They LOVE color and wanted it everywhere. We ripped off all the old wood paneling on the walls, painted the ceiling white and stained the beams dark, added a wall of vintage wallpaper, painted bright and bold accent walls in every room and found a mixture of pieces from flea markets, vintage stores and main stream stores to create their perfect space. Photography by Joshua Targownik www.targophoto.com

Inspired by the iconic American farmhouse, this transitional home blends a modern sense of space and living with traditional form and materials. Details are streamlined and modernized, while the overall form echoes American nastolgia. Past the expansive and welcoming front patio, one enters through the element of glass tying together the two main brick masses. The airiness of the entry glass wall is carried throughout the home with vaulted ceilings, generous views to the outside and an open tread stair with a metal rail system. The modern openness is balanced by the traditional warmth of interior details, including fireplaces, wood ceiling beams and transitional light fixtures, and the restrained proportion of windows. The home takes advantage of the Colorado sun by maximizing the southern light into the family spaces and Master Bedroom, orienting the Kitchen, Great Room and informal dining around the outdoor living space through views and multi-slide doors, the formal Dining Room spills out to the front patio through a wall of French doors, and the 2nd floor is dominated by a glass wall to the front and a balcony to the rear. As a home for the modern family, it seeks to balance expansive gathering spaces throughout all three levels, both indoors and out, while also providing quiet respites such as the 5-piece Master Suite flooded with southern light, the 2nd floor Reading Nook overlooking the street, nestled between the Master and secondary bedrooms, and the Home Office projecting out into the private rear yard. This home promises to flex with the family looking to entertain or stay in for a quiet evening.

Richard Herman is in the hospitality business and owns several upscale hotels in Florida and in other states as well as cattle ranches in both Florida and Missouri. Their farm in Ocala is by farm their most unique. The property serves as a 4-H demonstration project for the purpose of children’s education. They have been working with the Academy Prep of St. Pete which is dedicated to inner-city youths that are selected on the basis of need and achievement. Wife Diane spends her time on the farm raising Gypsy Vanners, a diminutive draft horse named after the job they did in Eastern Europe, pulling the wagons (vans) for gypsies that wandered across the continent. On the Ocala farm, there are several mules with a unique profession. Richard had visited the Hearthstone display at a Log & Timber Home Shows at the Orlando Convention Center many years ago. He was impressed that Hearthstone had stayed in touch with him over the years by mailings, invitations to shows, and periodic phone calls. When the time came to start serious consideration of the design of barn, Hearthstone responded promptly and professionally to Richard and Diane’s requests for information and a review of their ideas for their barn, which would serve as the centerpiece for their new farm. They wanted a multipurpose facility that could accommodate an educational environment and a large hall suitable for the fundraising events for his charities. Richard wanted a barn that reflected the look and feel of barns built at the dawn of the 20th century. Besides the rustic chicken houses and vegetable gardens, they have completely renovated a 1020’s era farmhouse to be as historically correct as possible and serves as the entry to the farm. “They very careful to feel us out, get comfortable with our capabilities, and be convinced that we could perform as promised,” said Project Manager John Ricketson of Hearthstone. Design Process There were some initial drawings that gave us a start on the basic shape and size of the barn. From there, it was a process of narrowing down the uses of each area and the spans that could be achieved. The barn was going to have the traditional “board & batten” exterior siding and a metal roof. There is a cantilevered ‘hay hood” on the north gable end above the large sliding barn doors that open into the foyer and horse stalls. The wings house a combination of areas, beginning with the large restrooms to accommodate crowds for events. Other parts of the wings have garage areas for the farm vehicles, feed room, tack room, wash rack, storage, offices, and smaller restrooms. Keeping with the look and feel of the turn of the century, Hearthstone developed a process for giving the timbers a surface texture that mimicked the circular cuts of timbers that had just come out of an old sawmill. This was easier said than done. Randy Giles guided his millwright (Wolfgang) in designing a machine that would do this effectively. The barn was delivered in October of 2014 and was erected over the course of two weeks, thanks to a hardworking crew (Eric Foster) and near-perfect weather. After the Hearthstone crew completed the erection and roof dry-in, it was time for the local carpenters to step up and install some light conventional framing on the gable ends before applying the roof fascia and exterior board & batten siding. Next came the big sliding barn doors, plumbing, electrical, heating, and cooling. Large rustic fixtures were hung from the great hall roof timbers. Exterior The board & batten siding was cypress and allowed to turn color naturally as rain hit it and the sun started working on it with UV rays. This method causes a much grayer look closer to the ground and less so where the roof overhang provides protection. The North end has some large limestone boulders and planters arranged around the pad with tall pampas grass. The planters provide casual seating before events and during outside receptions. The entire area was sodded with lush St. Augustine grass and split rail fences were added to enclose the barn area. The corrugated metal roof was a special order material that immediately rusted after being exposed to moisture. The layer of rust protects the metal from the elements. Interior The board & batten theme was carried throughout most of the interior with the timbers left natural to show off the circular saw texture. All of the tongue & groove decking was shipped in advance to allow the local painter to pre-stain it with a dark brown transparent stain that is a beautiful background to the light color Eastern White Pine timbers. “Everything was unique in this project” said Project Manager John Ricketson. “The setting on a small demonstration farm close to Ocala, the multipurpose design, the circular saw texture on the timbers.” The Hermans are very proud of their farm’s outcome. Richard sent a note to Randy Giles, owner of Hearthstone: “The Barn is fantastic, not a single problem, period. Next month, we have Jo Dee Messina coming in to help with a fundraiser for a local center for abused kids. Folks love the farm, ...... but that barn gets all of the attention. I would encourage you to use me as a reference for your sales team, feel free to extend my cell phone to any prospective purchasers.”