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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 addressed the existing pole barn type structure on site, road building and utilities, which can be viewed under Manhattan Pole Barn Project. Phase II, which is featured here, is the finished main house. The property is full of Cottonwood trees and Chokecherry and the owners were really inspired by the grey colors of the trees and the Fall red of the Chokecherry. This color scheme for both the pole barn and the main house, makes it blend in beautifully with nature. Having ‘tried out’ the Ghostwood siding on the pole barn and the bonderized steel, the decision was made to continue with those materials as well as the steel roof. This time, though, the project would mainly consist of Structural insulated panels (SIPs). These panels consist of an insulating foam core sandwiched between two structural facings. SIPs are manufactured under factory controlled conditions and can be fabricated to fit nearly any building design. The result is a building system that is extremely strong, energy efficient and cost effective. SIPs construction is comparable to traditional framing as far as costs is concerned.
There are many beautiful interior surprises too! The homeowners were able to get what they wanted, while keeping to a pretty strict budget. A mix of save and splurge and lots of research went into this part of the project and the results are worth it! Floors were made out of beetle kill and left over floor boards provided enough material for two beautiful barn doors! Gorgeous, functional, but affordable kitchen and bath cabinets, allowed room in the budget for low maintenance and virtually indestructible Quartz countertops. Open, reclaimed shelving kept the kitchen nice and airy. A handmade steel staircase with reclaimed treads and a modern wood-burning stove introduced beautiful metal elements into the mix. Reclaimed beams add a rustic feel and really highlights the tall barn roofline. Ingenious storage space was utilized by accessing the room under the eaves from ‘secret’ doors through the upstairs bedrooms. All in all, this project came together wonderfully! The owners and their ‘three months of visitors’ this summer are delighted with the final outcome! Photography courtesy of Lynn Donaldson.