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Gallatin Valley, Montana
A gorgeous 15 acre setting on the Gallatin River is the location for this two part project. Phase I has addressed the existing pole barn type structure on site, road building and utilities. Phase II will be the design and construction of a home. After careful evaluation, it was decided that the pole barn could be turned into a shop space and bunkhouse. The Barn was little more than framing and plywood when we started. After measuring the existing building, we designed a cozy space that opened to the trees off the back of the building and took advantage of the lean-to as entryway and bath and the loft for the bunkhouse. The trusses were nicely spaced for beds or sofas, so we kept them open as a design element which gave us a much more interesting and usable space in the loft. The project turned out to be such a transformation that it was featured in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, titled “From Trash to Treasure”.
The roof was rebuilt and re-roofed with ‘Weathered Copper’ steel roofing from Bridger Steel. New windows were installed to open the spaces to light and views of the property. The space was re-framed for the bath, entry and shop and we built a combination stairway/closet/mechanical space to provide for the water pressure tank and on-demand hot water heater. Closed cell spray foam insulation was used to maximize the insulation potential of the roof and wall framing and make the spaces easy to heat. A concrete floor was poured in the main building area to bring the floor height up to the level of the lean-to and create a floor for the shop.
Drywall was installed to highlight the truss and post structure. The owners spent days painting the walls and staining the trusses, as well as installing the vinyl plank flooring. The fir post and galvanized pipe stair rail provides the finishing touch!
The result is a complete transformation that delights owners and visitors alike with its cozy warmth, functionality and rustic elegance!