The Ins and Outs of Outbuildings
The creative design & placement of outbuildings can greatly enhance the experience of a country retreat. Outbuildings can help define exterior spaces, become pedestrian destinations, and provide sculptural features in the landscape.
Guest Houses
Having a separate guest house is ideal for long visits. It allows guests to keep their own schedules, without affecting the daily routine of the main house. Siting the guest house requires strategic planning. The building should be far enough from the main house to provide privacy, yet close enough to allow guests to easily stroll to the main house for dinner. The pathway between the two buildings can provide a wonderful landscape design opportunity.
Photos by Robert Benson Photography, except where noted
This 19th century stable was repurposed as a guest house. With four compact bedrooms, a full kitchen and a comfortable living area it can accommodate a visiting family for a long stay. The original hand-hewn timbers are featured on the interior, complemented by rustic antiques.
Photos Courtesy of John Roettger
Often an outbuilding can be designed to accommodate multiple uses. The lower level of this new barn-like structure houses the family’s automobiles, recreational vehicles, and garden equipment. The upper level is an open loft with a cathedral ceiling, providing a flexible, spacious guest suite complete with a full bath and pantry.
Pool Houses
On a large country property, a distant swimming pool can be a wonderful destination, providing a unique private environment, out of view of the main house. Creating a well-equipped pool house to serve a destination pool allows a relaxing afternoon by the pool, without trips back to the main house.
The design of a pool house can be inspired by its surroundings. This saltbox form pool house with antique weathered siding was designed to recall the barns and sheds of its rural setting.
Adding a gym, yoga room or indoor spa can extend the use of a pool house into the winter months. The cozy gas fireplace makes this pool house a favorite destination to watch a snowstorm on a winter day.
Sliding retractable glass panels create a seamless transition between the shaded lounge space and the pool terrace. All the essentials, a pantry, powder room, laundry, pool toy storage, are neatly tucked into the corners of the building. See our blog “Pool House Perfection” for more.
A pool house can serve multiple uses. This Neoclassical pool house serves as a carriage house on the courtyard side. The first floor accommodates a large gym, pantry, bathroom, solarium, and covered porch. Guest bedrooms on the second floor share a balcony overlooking the pool.
Agrarian Buildings
Historically, agrarian buildings on New England working farms were clustered together for convenience. This grouping of three farm buildings defines a central courtyard. They are painted a dark chocolate to accentuate their simple sculptural forms.
An artfully designed chicken coop announces the entry to the courtyard of farm buildings. The “chicken run”, created from mahogany timbers and bronze screening, offers a glimpse of the hens from the entry drive.
Finding new uses for existing farm buildings is key to their survival. The largest building of this cluster is a 19th century barn which has found new life as an entertainment barn, featuring a large billiard room, pub, game arcade, and theater. It’s a favorite family destination, allowing for raucous fun, without disturbing the main house.
To complement the entertainment barn, a small barn to house classic cars was created using hand-hewn antique timbers and salvaged wood planking. A low fieldstone wall links this barn to the entertainment barn, defining the fourth side of the courtyard.