Best Seat In The House

Buck's County House and Home Magazine

By Kerri Penno

When a Newtown couple wanted growing family. to tackle a large remodeling project, to tackle a large remodeling project, they reached out to trusted contractor Brett King Builder-Contractor Inc.

King had worked with George and Nancy Starr before and they valued his expertise. The couple had lofty aspirations. They wanted to convert their 15-year-old rarely used barn into a state-of-the art entertainment center for their growing family.

“We actually didn’t know what they to do with the barn for many years,” George says. “We finally realized it was the most optimal space for a media/party room because of the high ceilings.”

Brett King, CR, owner, Brett King BuilderContractor Inc., drew up the designs and did all the work inhouse. The project transformed the aging barn from a cracked, leaky, drafty structure into a one-of-a-kind multimedia hub. The design team managed to preserve the character of the barn with a contemporary flare. “They were looking for a wow factor,” King says.

The existing structure appeared to be sitting too high on a hill. The plans redesigned the exterior, extending the roofline and adding a concrete porch with broad stone steps to give the illusion of a lower appearance. The team regraded the landscape and used matching stone to hide newly exposed foundation block. They also removed the front steps to create a more approachable entrance. A steppingstone pathway adds to the inviting appearance.

King used Tyvek wrap to seal the exterior, preventing cracks and leaks. They replaced the barn’s original exterior boards with ship lab vertical siding painted classic barn red and trimmed in antique white. A redesigned copula, constructed on the ground and then hoisted atop the barn with a crane, was the finishing touch to the exterior.

Bringing the Outside In

In the main space, King gutted the interior and used urethane foam to reinforce the walls to maximize soundproofing. Massive horizontal support beams were installed, allowing the removal of the vertical support posts and creating an unobstructed view for movie watching. The brackets were painted the same color as the wood, so they blend with the beam structure

Cherry hardwood floors warm the space. “Sky blue walls simulate the open outdoor expanse and green and brown earth tones mimic the view of nature highly visible through the glass windows of many shapes,” King says.

A low-profile mini kitchenette was subtly located in the northeast corner of the barn, complete with a refrigerator, microwave and customdesigned glassware storage drawer. The project also includes a side addition, complete with a bathroom and an audio/visual equipment control room.

Attention to detail did not end there. A roughcut marble vanity and unique flooring in the bathroom complement the striking contrast already established throughout the entire renovation. Custom edging and brushed stainless steel fixtures add to the design. In the glassenclosed shower, tiny stainless steel squares were inlaid in the wood veneer walls.

The new design called for removing one door and replacing the existing entrance with multiple glass units. The original windows were also removed. Lighting the barn was no easy task for the design team.

“An additional challenge involved filling the barn with light while having the ability to completely darken the space for optimal movie viewing,” King says. “A stateoftheart electronic shade system, installed to remain virtually undetectable when not in use, allows for the total blackout desired.”

The window placement increases natural light while enhancing the property’s aesthetics. The team left the north wall windowless and left the symmetrically placed windows on the facing wall without grills to complement the contemporary design.

“The windows dramatically brighten the space, offering a greater view of the property’s peaceful expanse,” King says. In addition, multidirectional track lighting with recessed wiring shines from above. An artistic circular framework sports black glass droplet lights that seem to drip from the ceiling.

State of the Art

Electronic shades, from Lutron Electronics Co. Inc., are just the beginning of the highend electronics used in the project. Lutron also provided the RadioRA lighting system. A 106inch movie screen is centered on the barn's west gable wall. A powerful Sunfire 7.1 speaker system with subwoofers completes the sound system, while an Atlantic Technology home theater personal computer efficiently runs the entire system.

The design incorporates these elements seamlessly, with a faux beam installed to suspend a hightech movie projector and another concealing the movie screen once retracted. Even the window shades are hidden, with only a vertical 3/8inch gap filled with a filament guide. The motorized units are embedded into the wall cavity above each frame.

One press of a button lowers the windows' blackout shades and movie screen, turns out the lights and starts the projector. “When the button is pushed and the hidden shades slowly descend seemingly out of nowhere, all stand amazed as the space becomes totally dark,” King says.

Creative Control

The barn renovation garnered local, regional and national accolades. The finished project won the Regional Contractor of the Year (CotY) award from the BucksMont National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) and the National CotY award, both in the category Media Rooms over $150,000. Both King and the Starrs are thrilled with the outcome. “The resulting wow factor is spectacular and extremely gratifying,” King says.

The homeowners love watching movies and sporting events in their new media center. “The project is totally reflective of Brett King’s creativity,” George points out.

The couple gave King total creative and architectural control. “We’ve used many contractors and we will never use another one,” George says, due to King’s “creativity, honesty, attention to detail and his uncompromising devotion to his clients.”