What’s in a barn?
Barns are often constructed with heavy timbers or trusses, making for open floor plans and large rooms. Exposed beams and rusticated surfaces can add to the warmth and inviting nature of the spaces within. Outside, barns may be capped with a gambrel or shed roof and can be sided with a variety of materials including traditional clapboards, cedar shingles, and vertical board and batten siding. Older structures may still have a hayloft or cantilevered crane. Another feature common to the barn style is a cupola. Originally placed atop a roof to allow for ventilation, cupolas now function as architectural elements, adding visual interest to rooflines.
