I've always loved compiling my barn ideas, so I thought i'd do a post on a few of my future plans. Or dreams. Whatever they end up being it's fun to think about. :) I'll frame this post as a somewhat realistic could maybe will hopefully happen in the future kind of barn planning, instead of money is no object here are the most beautiful barns in the world (that's a whole other post I will definitely do).
Disclaimer: almost every barn i've found online has dutch doors. While I love dutch doors, I don't know if i'd break my budget on them. I can understand them in warmer climates, but in Canada the less draft the better, and I can picture myself trying to open them into snowbanks in the middle of January. There are a lot of amenities i'd prefer to have, as lovely as they are.
The Small Barn
I'm going to classify a small barn as any barn with less than six stalls. Having a "small barn"means you havejust enough space for a few horses of your own. This reduces stress, and means you won't have to worry about keeping things up to anyone's standards but your own. It also makes it super do-able to handle chores on your own while working full time. Pasture, manure and other maintenance would be lessened, and they're just so darn charming and cozy. Plus, I imagine if you go smaller size-wise you can go "bigger" on some high end design elements like the stalls or the flooring in the barn since you have less square footage to cover.
What I love about this particular barn is the wide barn opening, the dutch doors covered by the overhang, the cute colour and the perfect small size. It looks like it's a four stall barn, though one of those spots may be taken up by a tack or feed room.
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| FBi Buildings |
This pole barn is actually only has two stalls. The rest of the space is filled by a wash stall and tack room and machinery storage. This is the perfect type of barn to have dutch doors on; turn out for two would be so easy peasy!
The above barn is not only very beautiful, but it's the most "functional" barn I found. The doors are beautiful wooden cypress doors and there are a lot of really nice custom touches. This barn has the standard sliding front doors that open up nice and wide along with a man door on the side for easy access. There is indoor hay storage to the right of the sliding doors and the overhang on the right provides sheltered vehicle/machinery storage. Inside the barn has two stalls, a tack room, a half bath and a loft.
The Mid-Sized Barn
I'm classifying a mid-sized barn as anything with 6-12 stalls. You might have all of your own horses, or a combination of friend/family members horses and boarders. Mid-sized barns mean that you can still do it yourself but you're probably a busy lady. You can also get help, or maybe trade chores for board.
What I love about this particular barn is the shutters, the beautiful colour of the barn siding, the overhang on both sides of the barn, and the second story loft.
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| Morton Buildings |
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| King Barns |
Okay, I know i said "somewhat realistic" but this barn is too beautiful not to share. The stone, the stall doors, the peaked roof. It's perfection. I'd live in this barn!
The Large Barn
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| King Barns |
The summary of this barn on the builder's website says it all : 12 stalls, 1 wash stall, tack room, lounge, grain room, laundry room, full bath with shower, office, full legnth prch, 2nd floor apartment and 84 x 200 indoor arena.
The Outdoor Wash Stall
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I love outdoor wash stalls. Yes, they're less "all season" because you can only use them when the weather is nice enough to be outside, but in my mind that basically only means you can't bathe when it's raining. And hey, maybe I can go crazy and have both indoor and outdoor options!
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| My guy getting a bath in our indoor wash stall :) |
The Viewing Room
If I were to have an indoor area, i'd want a viewing room. If I had a viewing room, I'd want it to be like this one. I love how it's a cozy hang out space with ample room for seating. The kitchen is a great addition for hosting shows or clinics or even just for boarders who like to come and stay the for the day.
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| B&D Builders |
Shared Shelters
What i've heard from other barn owners is that the shelters are one of the most expensive things to build/add on and existing facilities often come without them. I love the idea of shared shelters that cover two paddocks at once, it seems cost efficient and smart!
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| Wildflower Farm Stables |
That's all for now - since I only covered the exterior today i'll be back with my Dream Barn interior later. :)
