This barn house retreat was designed as a multi-purpose residence by Seattle-based SkB Architects, located near scenic Lake Chelan in Manson, Washington. A unique project that took almost four years to complete, the property is highlighted as one part luxury residence and one part working barn. The latter is used as a commercial fruit orchard in addition to an idyllic location for a hospitality venue—used for weddings and events and comes complete with a custom brick pizza oven!
The original vision was a traditional red metal barn used to house tractors and other necessary gear that would help to manage the owner’s new venture. Yet the project evolved into a barn/home with a lowered roofline, fine architectural craftsmanship and dark rustic siding that blends with the rolling hills surrounding the stunning Lake Chelan countryside. The property offers twelve-acres of land, offering breathtaking views of Dry Lake and the Cascade Mountain Range.
The design of this 10,000 square foot barn was inspired by visionary sketches that were provided by the homeowners. The main level encompasses an entertainment area, incredible commercial kitchen and storage for the orchard equipment. The second level features guest bedrooms and living areas, while a wine cellar was designed in the basement level.
Design Team: SkB Architects, (architecture, interior design, lighting design) / BTL Engineering (structural engineer) / Beazley Construction (contractor)
The structure is modeled after the traditional style gambrel barn in its roof form, with added elements of dormers and gull wings. The dormer windows helps to break down the scale of this expansive barn, while increasing light into the upper living areas. The gull wing elements transitions the structure into the adjacent orchard and house ancillary shop and operations space.
Expansive, sliding carriage doors open both ends of the building up to its surroundings, encouraging guests to move into the landscape and take advantage of the spectacular vistas. Garage doors, located under the wings, offers additional opportunities to connect the indoor and outdoor spaces.
The exterior facade features black-stained wood siding, applied with steel wool and vinegar. Over the course of time, the stain will eventually soften to a silvery gray and blend the structure into the landscape. “We suggested nixing the red barn for something more sympathetic to the landscape,” states designer Kyle Gaffney. “We showed them some dark barns which made it more a part of the orchard rather than an object alongside it.” The carriage doors—at the main and loft level—have been stained with a transparent tone for visual contrast.
What We Love: This barn house retreat provides comfortable living spaces and amazing entertaining areas that are surrounded by an idyllic countryside. Beautiful material elements are highlighted throughout this home, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The beautiful views provided on this property makes this a charming destination to host a variety of events… Readers, what are your overall thoughts, would this be your ideal place for entertaining? Let us know in the Comments!
Note: Have a look below for the “Related” tags for more incredible home tours that we have featured here on One Kindesign from the portfolio of SkB Architects.
RELATED: Contemporary Mercer Island lake house infused with Asian touches
Above: The main level features one large open floor plan, suitable for parties or for storing vehicles from the owner’s classic car collection. An integrally-colored, concrete and stainless steel emblem is embedded into the floor. This emblem serves as a hallmark for the property, which has been repeated in the Dutch-barn-sign on the outside of the structure.
Above: A three-story steel staircase features wood treads, uniting the three levels of this structure. Vintage apple crate panels clads the wall of this stairwell, serving as a nod to the landscape outside.
Above: Twenty-four exposed wood trusses span the interior above the stairwell, which are supported by powder-coated steel brackets. The upper level encompasses the guest bedrooms and a shared living area, wrapping around the perimeter of the structure in mezzanine-fashion, leaving the center open to the ground floor below.
Above: The master bedroom provides sweeping views over the orchard.
RELATED: Striking remodel of a penthouse apartment overlooking the Seattle skyline
Above: The wine cellar can be found on the basement level, showcasing split, sanded cobblestones for the flooring (once used as ballast in ships sailing to Colonial America). Cedar sinker wood (wood repurposed from the bottom of a nearby lake), was milled and turned into the sliding barn doors for both the wine cellar and the master bathroom.
Above: The large kitchen with its custom-designed pizza oven was designed to balance residential materiality with commercial scale. An adjoining great room enhances the residential feel of the space and completes the contemporary open kitchen plan which encourages mingling. The kitchen/great room opens out to expansive exterior patios.
RELATED: Modern Mercer Island home offers serene lakeside views
Structural System: Wood framed with custom designed wood and metal plate and tie-rod roof trusses.
Sources: Strain’s Custom (pot rack, mezzanine metal railing fabrication); Barnes Welding (steel stair fabrication); One Construction (steel and wood truss fabrication); Kohler, Grohe, Hansgrohe, Dornbracht, Franke, and Chicago Faucets (plumbing fixtures); American Range and Miele (Kitchen Appliances); Perlick (refrigerator drawers, wine and beverage coolers); Vent-a-Hood (stove venting); Mugnaini (pizza oven); Loewen Windows (windows); Dineseen (wood flooring); Cedar board & batten siding, stained (exterior cladding walls); AEP Span (roofing); Loewen (windows); Crystalite (skylights glazing); Real Carriage Door Company (barn doors and main entry doors, exterior); Clopay (garage doors, exterior); Benjamin Moore (paint, interior finish); Daly’s (stain, interior finish)
Photos: Benjamin Benschneider
One Kindesign has received this project from our submissions page. If you have a project you would like to submit, please visit our submit your work page for consideration!
5 comments