A client from Norwich, VT was renovating an old barn and decided to have his home office built into the large cupola of the building.  He wanted a highly finished room to be in contrast to the rest of the rustic barn.

My first task was to build stairs to reach up to the cupola.  To access the office, you climb two sets of stairs through the old part of the barn and enter the office through a hatch door in the floor.  The hardware is completely hidden, and the door disapears into the floor when closed.  With its weight counteracted by two gas springs, the door easily opens and shuts with one hand.

The owner of the office is on his phone for a large portion of the day, and he wanted the ability to use a speaker phone while maintaining high sound quality.  We incorporated sound board panels throughout the walls and ceilings, which diffuse echos and give the room superior acoustics. 

One of the panels in the ceiling is removable and gives access to the flat roof where the owner plans to enjoy the view and sleep under the stars with his children.

The design of the floor mirrors that of the walls and ceiling.  The floorboards consists of pine and cherry, and the woodworking is finished with a durable tung oil.

photos by David Cordero