New York State Of Mind

One timber frame home brings barn-style beauty to the Long Island Sound.

It’s no secret that barns are having a moment. (Don’t believe us? See for yourself on page 54.) But more than just a trendy passing fad, barn-style homes make sense for the long run, thanks to wide-open, accessible plans and timeless aesthetic appeal.

In fact, it was this combination of qualities that led Ken Zahler and his wife to build their barn-inspired timber home on the north fork of the Long Island Sound. “We’ve built four homes and one of our previous houses was a barn design with timber accents,” says Ken. “We decided, for the next one, to look into companies that did authentic post-and-beam construction. Yankee Barn Homes was a perfect fit.”

In addition to the charm of their designs, Ken was impressed with Yankee Barn’s quality of construction. “We were very interested in the panelized construction method,” he says. “We built this house right on the water and, in the winter, it’s an area where the majority of homeowners leave for warmer weather. We live here year-round, so we wanted it to be comfortable no matter the season.”