The Mod Barn Blog

Oct 29, Discovering Your Personal Style

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:54:05 GMT

I feel that it is important to post a disclaimer on this site when it comes to the term modern. Modern in this blog and on this website is used to loosely describe a decorating and design style. It is not necessarily a well-defined or concrete term, but I think we all have some sort of idea of what "modern" interior style is like. I prefer a modern look. I adore the black and white color pallete; chrome, polished surfaces; sleek, industrial type designs, etc. And though these tend to be characteristic of modern style, they do not necessarily define modern style. It's important to discover your own personal style. I don't judge someone who has traditional tastes; it's simply not my style and certainly not what I prefer for my home. To discover your style, forget everything you know about decorating and trends... especially trends. Start with a clean slate. Now, think of your ideal living room. What colors are there? What does the sofa look like? Is there a coffee table? What is the architecture like? Keep picturing this in your mind and imagine yourself lounging in this room, entertaining in this room, etc. Now, first of all, did that room work for you? Was it a practical place for you to relax and entertain? Or did you feel out of place and uncomfortable? If so, start over. That probably wasn't your style. Once you've pictured a place that fits -- a place that feels comfortable and right -- then you can move on. Find words to describe that ideal living room. Describe the sofa. Describe the lights. The floor. The colors. These are the adjectives that will define your personal style. Chances are your style will be a mix of things. For instance, as mentioned earlier, I prefer a modern style; however, I also like mid century modern and retro eclectic, so I would not classify myself as purely modern. Most people will be somewhat eclectic -- and it makes sense. We are all different and have different backgrounds, likes, dislikes, tastes, and desires. We are molded and shaped by our environment and experiences, and those things certainly affect our style preferences. The most important thing you can learn about style is to make it personal. Cookie-cutter never cuts it. You want your home to be an expression of who you are as an individual. Unique to you. Once you accomplish that, your home will be your refuge and a creative inspiration.

Oct 29, An Introduction to the Mod Barn

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:54:05 GMT

Just a little background information... Daniel and I got married in December 2008. Months before, we were hunting like mad people trying to find a place to call home -- an apartment, a house, anything -- but all to no avail. It was sad to be homeless. Our only option then (well, other than living in our car) was to come home from the honeymoon and stay with my parents until we could find an apartment. A few years ago my dad built a barn-style 2 car garage on a large lot next to their house as his workshop. The original plan was to finish the upstairs as a place for him, but he had never gotten around to building beyond the frame work. Long story short, we convinced him to let us finish the 600 square foot upstairs apartment and live there until we decide to buy our own home. So, the Mod Barn is born. Now there are a number of advantages to this situation: 1.) We have full control over the design and layout of our apartment. 2.) It is completely custom fitted to our needs -- ie I need a huge closet. 3.) Our rent will be $0. 4.) Our rent will be $0. Granted, we are paying to have this apartment finished and its not cheap, but once its paid for -- we will only have to pay utilities, and thats a pretty sweet deal. We could have opted to finish the barn fast and cheap (very cheap), but I think that its worth pinching pennies to have things exactly how we want. So this blog will track the progress of our new home -- which we have lovingly deemed the mod barn. I'll post pictures, designs, ideas, and the best deals in modern interiors that I have found for our modern-ish new home. ### Elisabeth

Oct 29, The Problem with Windows...

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:54:05 GMT

The quest of the day for me is to find a decent window that will double as a door -- a tiny door large enough for my body to fit through that will open onto a deck. You see, in a small loft of 600 square feet, any addition of space is greatly appreciated. There are two windows in our ModBarn and they are both on one end of the apartment, so we thought it would be a good idea to add a sun porch on the back. And to get to this sun porch, one would assume a door would be a necessity. Well, that idea was shot down when we discovered that adding a full size door there would "compromise the structure of the building." Well! We can't have that! So, our plans of a deck/sun porch (at least one that we could get to from the inside) were crushed. Until... I got to thinking. Who says that you have to have a door? Why can't you just climb out of a window to get to the deck? The apartment on Friends has a terrace window (this is the only term I could think of to describe it), and they make use of it. So... a solution is found to our problem that should not "compromise the structure of the building." Now... a new problem. I've been google searching windows for days. Do you know how hard it is to find windows online?? Well, it is mighty difficult... especially if you know no other search term than "window." So, after a couple of days of searching I've made a breakthrough. I've discovered that the type of window that I need is called a "casement window." This new development has made a huge difference in my search results. Casement Window - a window that is attached to its frame by one or more hinges, usually at one side. Perhaps this should be common knowledge. But it wasn't for me. Oh well. So, now I know what type of window I need. The next problem is finding one for a decent price. So far the cheapest one I've found is around $500. I shall keep searching until I find one that suits my needs and wallet. And who knows? Maybe God will drop one out of the sky into a Habitat for Humanity Restore, so that I will only have to pay $35 for it. You never know.

Oct 8, The Modern Bathroom

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:31:00 GMT

Inspiration and advice to help you create a sleek, modern bathroom in your home. Where to find great modern faucets, showers, bathtubs and vanities

Oct 8, The Modern Kitchen

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:28:09 GMT

Inspiration and useful tips for your modern kitchen renovation

Oct 8, Modern Lighting

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:24:00 GMT

The different types of light and inspiration for finding modern lighting for your home

Oct 8, Modern Flooring

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 22:55:24 GMT

Descriptions of many modern flooring options and inspiration to help you choose the perfect floor for your home.