COTTAGE CLASSICS WITH FARMHOUSE COMFORT
You’ll want to book your next family getaway in our project house after you see our Great Room reveal.
You’ll want to book your next family getaway in our project house after you see our Great Room reveal.
“Creating eintimate lighting was key.”
We’re back with another significant reveal of our Springfield Barn Home project house.
As we’ve partnered with our sister title
American Farmhouse Style, our builder Yankee Barn Homes and a few talented designers, this structure has become the ideal vacation spot for families who want to kick back, relax and spend quality time together.
While the surrounding scenery leaves nothing to be desired, we needed to ensure that the gathering area of the home—the Great Room— reflected that same level of tranquility, openness and longevity. Designer Amy Mitchell of Home Glow Design helped make that possible with her vision of a family-friendly vacation home.
MADE FOR THE MOUNTAINS
“I was going for modern American mountain farmhouse,” says Amy. “I needed furniture pieces with a bit of heft to them with clean silhouettes for a good, clean presence.” With her chosen sofa and armchairs from Charles Stewart Company, Amy was able to blend American-made farmhouse furniture with cottage-inspired colors and textures.
“The launch pad for the color palette was the Peter Batchelder painting of a New Hampshire barn,” says Amy. “I loved the vibrant colors, but I didn’t want to go kaleidoscopic. I used indigos and purples to launch the palette.”To ensure variety with these two colors, she featured different patterns and textures through the pillows, rugs and furniture upholstery. And while the outside scenery plays a large role in the interior’s color scheme, Amy wanted to blur the lines between indoors and outdoors by incorporating greenery into the décor.
SPACIOUS AND COZY
To take advantage of the stunning scenery, Yankee Barn Homes incorporated large windows by project house sponsor Marvin in the home’s design, allowing natural light and trees to become the backdrop in this space. But with walls of windows comes the design challenge to make the space feel cozy.
To balance out the vaulted ceiling, Amy wanted to feature décor that would bring the eye to a middle point between the floor and ceiling. “I did that with art on the fireplace so not all the furnishings were at ground level,” she says. “What also helps are the chandeliers that bring the ceilings lower.” Another design that balances the height of the space is the post-and-beam structure. The wood brings warmth up the walls, making it feel cozy.
But tall ceilings weren’t the only home design element to carefully consider. The open floor plan required thoughtful planning for keeping the spaces distinctive and unified. “To separate the spaces, it’s all about creating different zones,” Amy says. “The color palette keeps them cohesive. They have their own rugs, but the rugs have similar patterns and colors.”This way, the function of each space remains the same, but the residents reap the benefits of open spaces that connect.
LAYERS OF LIGHT
The success of this space can be attributed to Amy’s vision. Because this project home wasn’t designed with a specific family in mind, she needed to have a design plan that centered around the home’s function. “I pictured this as a vacation space meant for gathering and chatting,” she says. “Creating intimate lighting was key.” Although the Great Room has chandeliers,
Amy wanted alternate lighting sources for cozy lighting options, so she brought in table lamps and floor lamps for a light source no matter where you’re sitting. “I created layers of lighting, so the family can play games and converse without having all the lights on,” she says. With her vision come true, all the home needs now is a family to make it complete.
“I used indigos and purples to launch the palette.”
FOR MORE ON THE DINING ROOM AND LOFT, CHECK OUT THE HOLIDAY ISSUE OF AMERICAN FARMHOUSE STYLE.