Bright-Minded Home November 2015
Q+A with Stephanie Herbeck and Daniel van Buren about reusing an old barn to build a home near Sunday River
Q: HOW WAS THE BARN USED TO BUILD YOUR HOME?
A: The old barn was dismantled by Chris Barstow of Specialty Timberworks and,
with the help of architect Jim Reuter and contractor Tony Andrews, the frame became the frame of our home. Much of the siding was used on interior walls and bathroom vanities. The original loft window, with its amazing wavy bubbled glass, is now in the wall between our entry and dining space. We used pieces from the barn’s floor for the main fireplace mantel and an entry bench. As well, we saved barn board and timbers for future projects and sold the rest to a local artisan who is making furniture with it.
Q: WHERE IS THE BARN FROM?
A: It was built a couple of miles up the street about 130 years ago. When the barn frame was re-raised for our home, the previous owner stopped by to see it being given a new life. He remembered playing in it as a child and making the repairs with his dad over the years. I loved hearing how his childhood memories are wrapped up in this barn, just as we began adding our own family’s memories to its long history.
Q: WHAT HAVE YOU ENJOYED MOST ABOUT THE ELEMENTS OF THE BARN?
A: The frame adds an instant warmth and immediately starts to tell its own story. I often sit and let my eyes wander over the endless details of the old timbers, all cracked and worn and sprinkled with rusted bits of hard- ware (old door hinges, nails, rings that once tethered animals) and imagine the history that structure has seen over the years. All the things we love about it did, however, make it challenging for the crew to build around—as you can imagine, there’s not a straight line to be found! However, a lot of these old things come from a time when there was an atten- tion to detail and craftsmanship that you don’t see as much these days. Each piece is unique and full of character, versus the mod- ern mass-produced, assembly-line products seeminglyuntouchedbyhumanhands.