Author: rdkrafka

A client came to us wondering if we could build a high-chair that would match their custom made Danish-modern meets Amish style dining room table. We were only too happy to take on the challenge. This cherry high chair fits this table perfectly. The arms fit directly under the heavy cherry tabletop, which prevents the chair from tipping or wobbling at all, even with the wiggliest of toddlers sitting in it. Design meets functionality is our forte. This chair was made for this table and we hope it gets used for many years to come. With any luck it might even turn into a family heirloom.

This maple entryway cubby was truly a collaborative project. Our client came to us with a design for the cubby, we made a few minor design adjustments then built, finished and installed the cubby. It features 15 cubby holes for assorted storage from hats and gloves to shoes and sports equipment, 5 adjustable shelves on either side for storage behind a maple framed door on one side or display on the other, and a convenient bench on which to sit while putting on or taking off shoes. This cubby matches the design and style of the house perfectly. It’s functional, space saving, organized, and a gorgeous piece of furniture that was quite literally made for this house.

This hallway cabinet was designed to optimize the corner space in this hallway. It features a satin finished walnut top, painted poplar drawer fronts,  two drawers and a soft-close poplar door behind which are two adjustable shelves. The elegant simplicity of this cabinet matches the design specifications of the house perfectly, not to mention it’s highly functional and quite an efficient space saver.

This built-in cubby was originally designed to have reclaimed wood used for the shiplap backing. Unfortunately after the two accent walls we did in other rooms of the house, there just wasn’t enough barn wood left. In the end we made the cubbies and the shiplap backing out of local Iowa poplar, which was painted to match the walls. The bench top was made of reclaimed barn wood from our client’s family barn, which was lightly sanded to prevent splintering and finished with polyurethane. The end result was the perfect culmination of features from this house, simple, classic, sleek design meets rustic farmhouse. The allure is almost Scandinavian and very cozy. We have loved every minute of building and designing for this client’s house. It has been so fun to make new use of old barn wood and see just how stylish we could make it.

In this final edition of our refurbished barn wood series we feature the barn doors. Our client decided he wanted to use the actual barn doors from his old family barn as sliding doors for a bedroom closet and his office. To get them into functional working condition all we had to do was sand them down to prevent splintering, clean up the hardware and give them a nice sealant coat or two of water based polyurethane. The final product is exquisite, cozy, and rustic. They are the perfect addition to the style and allure of this house.

Our refurbished barn wood series continues with these gorgeous shiplap accent walls. These walls were made of wood taken from our client’s old family barn. To maintain the weathered and warn look of old barn wood we sanded minimally to keep as much of the original paint on as possible. The bedroom accent wall and window are framed beautifully with unpainted wood and the office is adorned with barn beam shelves. The accent walls were sealed with water based polyurethane. Somehow the enmeshment of rustic barn wood and new sleek lines throughout this house is unexpectedly appealing. It really makes the new feel homey and cozy. What a fun project this has been.  

We continue our series of refurbished barn wood projects in the basement of our client’s new home with these counter tops. Both the island countertop and the bar top were made from barn wood restored from the client’s old family barn. The wood was only lightly sanded and finished with satin polyurethane to maintain the rustic allure of old barn wood. Not only are these countertops functional, they tie the aesthetic qualities of the room together, giving the entire basement a sense of continuity, not to mention their beauty. This is only about the halfway mark in this series of refurbished barn wood projects for our client’s new home. Follow us for updates in this series of new, interesting, and stylish uses for old barn wood.

The series of refurbished barn wood projects in our client’s new house continues. This week we’ll feature the basement, starting with these support post wraps. Each post was wrapped and trimmed with barn wood from the client’s old family barn they had torn down. The wood was sanded lightly to eliminate splintering, finished with satin polyurethane, and joined around each support post. These posts really tie the room together and add a sense of rustic elegance to the layout.

These rough sawn, douglas fir, barn beams came from a family barn our client had torn down. He requested that they be made into floating shelves. They turned out beautifully, if we don’t say so ourselves. They were sanded lightly, satin finished with polyurethane, and mounted using 12 inch steel rods embedded into wall studs. This is another sleek and stylish example of perfectly melding the old with the new.

These laundry room counter tops were made with refurbished barn wood from our client’s family barn that was taken down. The client had the basin and the bases for both pieces and asked that we frame the basin and make a top for the base that fit over the hampers. We delight in giving old, used things new life. Both tops were lightly sanded to reduce splintering while retaining their rustic allure. They were then finished with satin polyurethane, joined and affixed to their bases. These are two great examples of how well the old can meld with and complement the new.