Amy Kleinwachter, the owner of Old World Antieks usually spends a lot of her time searching around the world for interesting heirloom pieces and quirky architectural finds. Her best find to date is a 14 foot round grain silo. The silo is located near La Grange, Texas. She had already built an entire farmhouse out of salvaged materials. She thought this would be a perfect guest house for her 10 acre plot.
Once she transported the silo on her property, she contacted local contractor Judy Kurtz to help her sift her big inventory of reclaimed building materials. “It took a surprising amount of geometry to make things work in a circle, but Judy nailed it!” said Amy. The completed structure takes up an area of 1000 square foot and includes a front porch and a bed/bath extension making it the ideal size for family, friends and visitors. “We joke that it’s given new meaning to ‘gather ’round.’” Amy said.
Living Area
A Champagne crate is used a footrest, thanks to the grain sack-cushion. The mismatched pair of leather chairs and the bleached oak table make for a very unique living area.
Office Area
An old floral sign is repurposed as a floating desk and there are many other sings around. If you want to buy old signs Amy advises, “Ask questions. A good dealer will know a backstory and have a clear grasp on the materials. If they’re fuzzy on that, it’s probably a fake.”
Bedroom
Material used for the bedroom was brought over from an old historic Texas home and it was treated and sealed so guests don’t have to breathe in lead paint. (check with your health department or contractor for information on using this technique in your area). The textured wall pairs with a wrought-iron queen-sized bed (miltonsfurniture.com) dressed in new, crisp linens (gypsyville.com). (Amy says finding a comfortable antique queen has proven next to impossible. She found the still life painting on a antiquing trip through Europe.
Bathroom
“This is the one thing a picker can never have too much of. When placing planks, I pay attention to paint weathering. I’m careful to do it in a way that looks organic—nothing too perfect, but nothing too random either,” she says.
Wall Décor
Amy bartered with an Etsy vendor for this liquidation sign.
Dental Panes
“It’s essentially a tin can and inherently dark,” Amy says of the silo. “I waded through my stash for window options with ample height and modest width to maximize natural light and still work within the constraints of the circular design.” She managed to convince one of her friends to buy the old set from a dentist’s office years ago and she managed to buy them back for the bedroom.
Metal Awnings
“Old windows are one of my favorite things to hunt for, but metal awnings are right behind. I love how they bring depth to a design with a rugged fussiness.”
Ornate Headers
“Intricately carved window and door headers are my go-to when I want to define a space or embellish without having to hang artwork,” Amy said.
Front Porch
Amy Kleinwachter, and a living breathing alarm clock in the form of a hen.
Source: Country Living
Like it, like it, like it!
Really innovative. I could live there if theres room for a closet.
Nice concept. I like the house very much. A kitchen photo and a photo of the bathroom would be helpful. They are important rooms.