Photography by Scott Bergmann.
Many homes come with a storied history, but this one takes the farm—or more accurately, came with the farm. Built in the 18th century, the home was originally located in Vermont but was at some point relocated to a thoroughbred farm in Saratoga Springs, NY—a major hub for horse racing. The barn, which came as a package deal with the home, became a point of fixation for the new owners—they decided to transform the original post-and-beam structure into additional living and entertaining space. Far from an easy feat, the undertaking entailed numbering all the posts and beams, disassembling the entire structure, and digging a foundation prior to rebuilding it all back in place.
Photography by Scott Bergmann.
To achieve their goal of turning a section of the barn into a New Orleans-inspired, clandestine bar, the owners tapped Teakwood Builders—who immediately reached out to Eva Lindsell Andersen, a former employee who left to start her own firm, to help on the project. “The owners have a large extended family and the husband is an executive who frequently entertains his C Suite, so we wanted to make sure the design of the bar was authentic and luxurious,” explains Andersen. The owners themselves had already selected a True Residential Beverage Column with a Glass Door in Ultra Matte Black and Pewter. “The Beverage Refrigerator became the anchor and the impetus for the design,” says Andersen. “Some of the things we love about True stem from its commercial roots and how great the units are for keeping beverages ice cold for guests, along with the flexibility it offers designers—you can essentially build your unit with an array of beautiful colors and hardware choices for a truly customized product. We had Truefinish samples sent directly to our custom cabinet company, QCCI, so they could accurately match the black from the fridge.”And match it they did, complementing the dark finish with black and white marble mosaic tile flooring from Artistic Tile, an eye-catching Phillip Jeffries wallpaper to bring texture and shine into the space, and a built-in banquette with the surrounding walls outfitted in an elegant plaid that pays homage to horse country aesthetics. Tucked away LED lighting casts an ambient glow throughout the room, highlighting all the details and setting the mood. A circular rack on the ceiling designed by Andersen serves double duty as storage for stemware and as an unexpected lighting source that spotlights the gorgeous pewter counter bar by La Bastille. Dark honed quartz countertops, black subway tile, and paneled True Residential 24” Freezer Drawers and a 15” Clear Ice Machine, round out the decked-out bar. In a surprise twist, retractable steel-framed tempered glass windows behind the banquette, open up to a space that overlooks a golf simulator. All in all, it’s a bar for the ages.
