Barnwood fans like you often enjoy the rustic, natural, and historic appeal of weathered wood. Having a reclaimed barnwood fixture, flooring, or furnishing just adds old-world charm to modern living spaces. Have you ever thought of all the new ways wood reclaimed from barns can be used in your home of office? Well, we’ve got several common uses that people from all over the US have found to show their appreciation for reclaimed barnwood.
Wood flooring. Sturdy barn wood can give an entire room the natural beauty that homeowners are seeking. Because reclaimed wood is available in a remarkable number of species, colors, and sizes, you have many choices for flooring in one or more rooms of a home.
Homeowners wanting the warmth of, for example, old-growth Southern Yellow Pine can often find the wood they need quite easily. If that variety of pine is not available in your region, suppliers can often arrange shipping from another area.
Suppliers may also recommend alternatives that deliver the same type of look. Oak, maple, birch, and other wood species may also provide the desired look for your home. Many of these species are available in widths and lengths to meet your new home a true showplace.
Fireplace mantel. Fireplaces are always in vogue, and a rustic mantel made from a barnwood beam captures an early American look that is hard to match. As with reclaimed wood flooring, barn wood offers multiple options when it comes to timber species.
They are often hung using corbels as support; however, smaller sizes can enable you to hang your mantel in a floating-shelf style. Whether it’s unfinished or planed to a smooth surface, a reclaimed barnwood mantel offers timeless beauty from wood that is typically not available from today’s lumber yards.
Built-in storage. Kitchen cabinets, vanities, and other built-ins created using reclaimed wood continue to be popular, with a custom weathered look and sturdy construction for long-lasting utility.
Stock cabinets made with wood species like maple, oak, and birch are becoming increasingly expensive as consumer demand reduces the standing stock. However, reclaimed wood providers stock may provide many wood varieties, such as cherry, hickory, pecan, and walnut, at a lower price during high-demand situations.
Homeowners who are fans of barn wood often reduce home design costs elsewhere to ensure they get authentic cabinets, vanities, and others that make a design statement but also provide for the family’s needs.
Construction elements. Header beams, columns, and other key construction elements made with reclaimed hardwood make your home or office stand apart from the crowd. While many choose to use a lam or boxed beam for their project, reclaimed solid beams always look better. When working with a building contractor or designer, ask about using reclaimed beams that will look better without endangering the structural integrity of your space.
Reclaimed beams from old barns, factories, or other large buildings often include the scars they’ve earned over the years. Those “imperfections” may be just what a designer needs to create the comfortable, warm feel you’re looking for.
Room décor. As a barnwood fan, you know the charm that rustic wood artifacts bring to your living space. Reclaimed wood is ideal for a variety of décor items. Accent walls, for example, commonly add value, style, and character to homes. Reclaimed barnwood shelving is another example. And reclaimed wood is ideal for bookcases, artwork, serving trays, and much more!
Barn wood also makes terrific wall art. You can create designs with almost any piece of wood found in a barn. Or you can leave the original paint or markings to create an “organic” appeal.
For example, you can design your art by cutting boards into pieces, connecting them in a herringbone or rectangular pattern, and then hang your work on the wall. The wood’s shades, glimpses of paint, and marks in lumber create a stunning effect.
You can use lumber from anywhere in the barn. Combining wood from flooring, wallboards, parts of doors, and sections of windows can result in unexpected beauty.
Barn doors. Sliding barn doors are all the rage these days. There are many manufactured options on the market, but they can tend to look tacky when they’re installed. On the other hand, sturdy reclaimed wood with its native imperfections gives you a look that shows your love for authentic style. Doors made with reclaimed wood have a look that has taken years to acquire – and your guests will see it firsthand!
You can choose original or new hardware to hang your doors; solid black is often the color of choice. The other advantage of reclaimed wood barn-style doors is customization. Most out-of-the-box kits come in specific sizes that may not meet your home design needs. Discuss the benefits of sliding barn-style doors with your contractor or design team.
Room dividers. Many homes include large spaces that can be split using reclaimed wood either as the primary element or as a frame around wall board or other interior surface. A room divider can break up a large space to create a smaller area for relaxation or work needs.
In some instances, a wall divider provides a great way to redirect traffic in a home. And in today’s work-from-home environment, a room divider is a perfect way to keep that computer or printer out of sight without having to create a separate office.
If you’re considering a reclaimed barnwood project or are building a new home, now is the time to ask for advice. A reclaimed wood specialist can answer questions about the many ways you can include beautiful, reclaimed wood in your new home.
Pro tip: Don’t leave important design questions until the last minute. The wood you’re looking for may not be readily available if you wait until the last minute to order. Rather than taking a chance, explore your options and contact a supplier such as Modern Timber Craft now to get an idea of which woods are currently available for your project.
