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.”

At this residence, the owner wanted a large outdoor living/gathering/party space. An outdoor kitchen with built in grill and granite counter tops rests at the bottom of her screen porch stairs and outside of the basement bar. This patio steps down to a larger living area patio with a grand wood burning fireplace. This space will eventually accommodate a large timber-frame pavilion. A massive water feature starts at the top of the hill near the driveway and winds its way down the slope along the length of the house, ending near the outdoor kitchen patio. The stream is flanked by flowering shrubs and perennials and is bridged by a huge stone slab and stepper path.

At this residence, the owner wanted a large outdoor living/gathering/party space. An outdoor kitchen with built in grill and granite counter tops rests at the bottom of her screen porch stairs and outside of the basement bar. This patio steps down to a larger living area patio with a grand wood burning fireplace. This space will eventually accommodate a large timber-frame pavilion. A massive water feature starts at the top of the hill near the driveway and winds its way down the slope along the length of the house, ending near the outdoor kitchen patio. The stream is flanked by flowering shrubs and perennials and is bridged by a huge stone slab and stepper path.

At this residence, the owner wanted a large outdoor living/gathering/party space. An outdoor kitchen with built in grill and granite counter tops rests at the bottom of her screen porch stairs and outside of the basement bar. This patio steps down to a larger living area patio with a grand wood burning fireplace. This space will eventually accommodate a large timber-frame pavilion. A massive water feature starts at the top of the hill near the driveway and winds its way down the slope along the length of the house, ending near the outdoor kitchen patio. The stream is flanked by flowering shrubs and perennials and is bridged by a huge stone slab and stepper path.

This terraced backyard was created as a renovation of a failing deck system. The plans included creating 3 distinct outside spaces that would serve as living & dining rooms throughout the year. The materials were chosen to be a juxtaposition of natural & man made form. The strong geometry of the space is reflected the linear layout of the stone retaining walls & the paving pattern of the concrete pavers. A rectangular gunite spa creates a focal point in the lower terrace & has an elegant, yet natural feel. Large weathered boulders were set into the steps & bench of the spa to give it a lagoon type feel. Core-ten steel was used to create a cascading waterfall, built into one of the custom field stone retaining walls. A core-ten fire pit ties the earth-tone color through the whole. A babbling stream bed transitions two of the levels of the site & creates a calming, Zen like sounds to the outdoor space.

Your sectional couch can feature large corner wedges (right angles or curves), chaise lounge ends, or diagonal bumper ends,?and can be configured in L-shaped, U-shaped, or even split to make two couches! Contemporary styled with a loose box back, top stitched seat cushion, and tapered wood legs in finishes from light to dark to match your decor. Select from 4 arm styles -Boxed, Sock, Canted, Track or Wedge.?As featured on HGTV Home, this sectional will be a favorite place for family and friends to gather.? And with Bassett quality construction backed by our warranty, you will enjoy this sectional for many years and many memories.

We were hired to turn this standard townhome into an eclectic farmhouse dream. Our clients are worldly traveled, and they wanted the home to be the backdrop for the unique pieces they have collected over the years. We changed every room of this house in some way and the end result is a showcase for eclectic farmhouse style.

Two -tone molding accents this fresh kitchen with full -overlay doors and plenty of storage. The dual-height peninsula allows prep space and a raised counter for snacks. The home, built in the early 1980's, was in-need of a freshening up, however the idea of re-sale in the coming years was a big consideration. Neutral granite and warm stained maple keep this space fresh and welcoming. The book-case at the end of the refrigerator provides display space for the dining area in this open concept space. Photo by Colette Crisp

Dining table with legs in extra clear transparent glass 19 mm thick. Top Radix Canaletto Walnut 44 mm thick with irregular solid edges. Also available in ebony matte finish. - For more information, please contact IQMatics 847.885.3600

Notice how we added an eye-catching 12-inch border in Walnut to add definition to the patio and ease the transition of the new patio into the existing aggregate patio present in the pool surround.

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Bryan Chavez Photography River City Custom Homes - RounTrey - 2015 Homearama Farmhouse with a Modern Vibe Gold Winner - Master Suite Aware of the financial investment clients put into their homes, I combine my business and design expertise while working with each client to understand their taste, enhance their style and create spaces they will enjoy for years to come. It’s been said that I have a “good” eye. I won’t discount that statement and I’d add I have an affinity to people, places and things that tell a story. My clients benefit from my passion and ability to turn their homes into finely curated spaces through the use of beautiful textiles, amazing lighting and furniture pieces that are as timeless as they are wonderfully unique. I enjoy the creative process and work with people who are building their dream homes, remodeling existing homes or desire a fresh take on a well lived-in space. I see the client–designer relationship as a partnership with a desire to deliver an end result that exceeds my client’s expectations. I approach each project with professionalism, unparalleled excitement and a commitment for designing homes that are as livable as they are beautiful.

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Doing a remodel with the thought of long term should always be in mind. So when doing this project i knew i didn't want grout in the shower, then what are my options for something that looks timeless, would stand up to years of soaps, shampoo and still look great in years to come. I had seen these sheets of porcelain from Spain at a trade show a number of years ago, it seemed that for my own bath it was a good project to give them a try. These are available in different sizes and thicknesses and i am really happy with them. The cast iron bath tub with an antiqued chrome wrap is the Whitby from Penhaglion, it sits in front of the window which has an opaque small patterned film covering the once clear glass. The bath and sink faucets, come from Penhaglion, that I have to say is an amazing company to work with. Heated floors in the bath and shower area as well as a Toto toilet, all pulled together with a vintage sideboard that was refinished to suite the plumbing of the 2 drop in sinks. Air assisted rain head, wall and hand held shower with an oversize niche make for a great showering experience. Susan Brook Interiors

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Custom multi-tone watercolor painted wall finish by the Ragsdale craftsmen.

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