Interior design expertise can make all the difference in how your Barndominium lifestyle works and how expansive the space feels. By following a few simple principles your ‘home above horses’ can amplify your individual tastes while blending together differently purposed rooms or dividing open plan spaces with discretion, to create a harmonious and highly functional living environment. And it doesn’t have to be expensive to create.
Horizon Structures colorful barndominium with plenty of space for horses and people.
Our best choices come from having a myriad of ideas and options to choose from and also having the opportunity to best experience those choices.
© 2024 by Horizon Structures
Buy What Best Suits Your Style
The framework with which you begin in terms of the actual style and design of the structure will obviously set the tone for what the daily living space will provide in form, fit and function. So it is smart to choose wisely.
Our best choices come from having a myriad of ideas and options to choose from and also having the opportunity to best experience those choices. The world of video tours, 3-D technology as well as in-person viewing either at factory site or at exhibitions showcased at events ( such as The Equine Affaire, November 2024 in W. Springfield, MA), all provide unparalleled access to the Barndominium buying experience.
Take a look at the very popular Barndominium modulars, offered in multiple sizes and styles that encompass options for chic interior birchwood finishes or a more natural rustic pine in Scandinavian style. When the plumbing, lighting, floor plan and window /door placement is professionally designed to start out with as these units are, the interior space is going to be much more appealing to live with from every aspect.
Get Inside and Get Inspired
In my work fashioning home interiors (wearing another of my hats outside of professional writer, advanced level equestrian, performance horse breeder, and organic hay farmer) clients often bemoan their lack of talent in selecting wall colors and furnishings and have little confidence in their ability to choose the right artwork or mirrors or other accessories. But the reality is there is a good designer hiding in plain sight in all of us, we just need to get inspired. I love listening to client’s histories, passions and family lifestyle preferences and helping them achieve the perfect ambience and style in their homes that brings them and theirs happiness.
Education is a great place to start and that doesn’t have to be boring. My favorite interior designers that have guided me throughout the years include the much-heralded U.K. based late Terence Conran and his family, U.S. based Bunny Williams and as a writer, Francesca Premoli-Droulers ( see list of suggested books to read at end of article). I also subscribe to the magazine The English Home, partly because I am English. But also because I love the styles of my homeland and the country chic living vibe that the magazine regularly covers and also because as with fashion, new design ideas seem to hit across the pond first, whether that’s Milan, Paris or London.
Reading what is current and fashionable and how different size spaces are best managed by professionals is helpful when developing your own ideas on what colors to use and what works best to maximize the joy of living in any particular space. Simple things can make a huge difference to an end result. Some examples: learn how to dress a set of patio French doors (tip: for fabric curtains drop them from close to ceiling height to floor level to give the appearance of more height and bring the outside in rather than just dress the inside dimensions of the window) or how to deal with a tiny mudroom and laundry space.
Color Choice
Go online and check out what a color wheel is and print it out ( obviously on a color printer!) and pick colors that you enjoy, bearing in mind strong colors can become ‘old’ when you have to live with them day in day out. While you shouldn’t be afraid to go bold with color you don’t want to overwhelm a small room with a mass of strident dark colors because darker colors make a space seem smaller though more intimate, while lighter or neutral colors make it feel brighter and larger. The more uniform and lighter the color in a residence overall the bigger it will feel.
But there should always be splashes of color to illuminate features or divide spaces. Consider for example, if you make everything white and minimalist it can feel clinical. White is a perfect color choice perhaps for a Miami oceanfront property as it reflects the heat but unless you have an architecturally spectacular building to showcase with artistic features to highlight, a white color ( meaning any of the multitude of shades under the white umbrella) can be uninviting and labor intensive to live with and keep clean.
Remember that painted walls are more work to change or renovate than a piece of occasional furniture. If you add color in soft furnishings these can highlight specific areas and create interest but are able to be changed and updated as tastes develop and migrate. For example, refresh a tired micro-fiber 3-seater couch with a new one that offers patterns/textures and different fit and functionality such as an L-shaped sectional with chaise. This will utilize corner areas of a room and create a sense of comfort and companionship with an abundance of seating accommodation is a good design idea.
Guidance on color-mapping for a particular room can easily be utilized using you local box store where their promotional materials offer many ideas. Not that you have to stick to one idea one hundred percent. Dropping a color or slightly changing one to better suit your taste is always an option.
Shop Furniture Wisely
If you shop in person rather than online you will find that each region often has its own vanilla style option in color and materials, based on what sells easily in the neighborhood. I was once shopping for blue or red outdoor umbrellas and asked the store owner why everything in the Upstate New York store, both indoor and outdoor furniture, seemed to be beige or cream. He explained he was bored with stocking those colors too, but it was what sold best. Today, online options have opened up a huge array of choice in all things furniture. But there are buyer beware issues to consider.
Be conscious that furniture in a large space such as a big furniture store will be perceived as smaller than it actually is, because of the expansive floor plan in which it sits. McMansions obviously can accommodate larger scale furniture but placing a huge sectional in a smaller room won’t make a ‘Great Room’, it will simply make the furniture look out of scale and clumsy in design and make the room seem tiny.
I advocate buying furniture for comfort first, as practicality is important. Your Barndominium is not going to have multiple room options for different functions such as one for watching TV, working on screens or reading a book, and another room for entertaining folks plus a designated dining room, one for breakfast and one for dinner. Seating will be limited so make sure it works for long periods of use.
When buying furnishings also consider what materials are kid and dog friendly. For example, a glass coffee table will require a lot of cleaning, is not kid-friendly and you cannot use it as an ottoman to rest your feet. But glass also offers its transparency, a factor that minimalizes its presence in the space. If you have children or wee-ones visiting regularly, a better choice would be a wood coffee table that you can use for occasional casual eating, and the kids can use as a height-friendly space to play.
Soft furnishings that are composed of textured or patterned fabric will add interest but materials should be dog/cat friendly if you have house pets or the fabric will be tiresome to keep free of dander. Though cleaning is easier today than ever as modern vacuums have come along way with appendages that do an excellent job cleaning off pet hair, and there are many options of dust covers that can be easily taken on and off as required. Again, tiresome to do all the time plus you are covering up the color and material you wanted to highlight in the first place. Tip: Consider a cost-effective aniline leather as a smart and durable alternative to micro-suede. Add different shaped/sized/colored cushions for a splash of color.
Shopping online requires you to take heed of the actual measurements of the piece. People do silly things like buying elite doll’s house furniture pieces thinking they are full-size or buying large china cabinets or couches that won’t fit up the access staircase or through the doorway to their homes. Also review the materials from which the piece is made as many hard furnishings are not actually made of wood but rather of a composite material. Which is fine if that’s what you want but remember you do get what you pay for at the end of the day.
Second-hand furniture shops, auction houses and backyard sales can all yield cost effective hard furniture pieces, artwork and accessories. Multi-purpose pieces such as steamer or military trunks that can be utilized as seating or tables and offer storage as well as add antique aesthetics to a room can do double or even triple duty.
Tips To Divide Interior Space Or Bring Small Spaces Together
Sectioning a long corridor style space that is open plan can be accomplished simply by dividing its purpose to make its use apparent. For example, a dining table or breakfast bar at a kitchen island can section the kitchen area from the main living space. Placing the living room couch with its back across the room rather than along the edges of the room will make the room feel wider rather than longer. Consider individual chairs in tight spaces that allow a flow of traffic from area to area but don’t place everything against a wall as this will make the space both boring and utilitarian in feel and exaggerate the narrow aspect of the room.
Rugs make a super effective method to aesthetically section the uniform floor covering and combinations of color schemes don’t have to be elaborate. For example, a long 20’ foot room could be broken up by three area rugs, the first and last being the same and the center one of different color or shape. Check out washable rugs as well as traditional materials if you have kids or pets.
Long walls can be broken up by sectional art pieces, or the grouping of framed art or photos along the length of the room or in specific use areas. A well-placed mirror can also break up a long wall as well as reflect light into areas where light is limited. Always place a mirror opposite a window if possible to maximize its effect.
Harmony is important in design and accents that are of the same color that are placed in different rooms can bring a floor design palette together.
Less Is More
The smaller the space the more important it is that the interior design is thoughtful and complete but not overdone. However, it is important to have a place for everything and put everything in its place. Storage is an essential component of daily living and if you don’t have an easy access space to put everything the living space won’t be easy to keep clean and tidy, and it will quickly become an unwelcoming mess.
Storage under bench units that double as daybeds can be great under windows to answer the need for casual seating that may be required on occasion or to provide a place for the kids to rest up within view for supervision. Flat-packed furniture can be expensive to buy and time-consuming to assemble but does offer some great ideas for storage needs and kid’s play areas that is kid-safe and easy clean.
De-cluttering is a good idea at any time but especially when you are moving from one living space to another, and the oft-quoted William Morris, “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful,” is a great thought to live by when de-cluttering. There is so much ‘stuff’ we all keep out of a sense of guilt or have multiple items that do exactly the same thing or simply horde stuff we don’t regularly use or enjoy. Recycle, donate or sell off any overabundance of ‘stuff.’
Make It Personal
Showcase your own personal taste and passions by including feature pieces of interest in your home. For example: You may have items that express the travels you have made or artwork that reflects your passion for nature or of course, an equestrian lifestyle. But don’t overdo it. Tip: A few well-loved and cherished equine pieces will stand out as conversation starters and bring you pleasure to view, while a conglomeration of everything horse from rugs to lamps to cushions to bed linens will diminish the power of each.
Suggested Reading to Inspire
Bunny Williams – Point Of View – Published by Stewart, Tabari & Chang, NY.
Jasper Conran – Country ( a great country lifestyle read but choose other titles from his siblings or father for decor) – Published by Conran Octopus/Octopus Press
Francesca Premoli-Droulers – Writers’ Houses – Published by The Vendome Press
The English Garden Magazine – published by chelseamagazines.com with US Subscriptions available (though expensive)
About Horizon Structures: One horse or twenty, there’s one thing all horse owners have in common…the need to provide safe and secure shelter for their equine partners. At Horizon Structures, we combine expert craftsmanship, top-of-the-line materials and smart “horse-friendly” design to create a full line of sheds and barns that any horse owner can feel confident is the right choice for their horses’ stabling needs.
All wood. Amish Made. Most of our buildings are shipped 100% pre-built and ready for same-day use. Larger barns are a modular construction and can be ready for your horses in less than a week. All our barn packages include everything you need –
Horizon Structures also sells chicken coops, equine hay feeders, greenhouses, dog kennels, 1 and 2 car garages, storage sheds and outdoor living structures and playsets.
Headquartered in South-Central Pennsylvania, Horizon Structures, LLC is owned by Dave Zook. Dave was raised in the Amish tradition and grew up working in the family-owned shed business. He started Horizon Structures in 2001 in response to an ever-increasing customer demand for high quality, affordable horse barns.
For additional information about the company or their product line, please visit their website at https://www.horizonstructures.com
About Nikki Alvin-Smith:
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