Reclaimed Barn Wood: First Project--Picture Rail

The first board put through the planer from the old barn has turned out to be quite useful, made into a picture rail/shelf for our family room at the back of the house, which is an addition we put onto our home thirteen years ago.  




This room, by necessity,  has none of the character the older rooms in the farmhouse have...it's quite plain, really, with a tall, peaked ceiling, an oak floor and a view of the back yard and the farm field behind it being the only features that are an asset.  




There are three major doorways and our pets spend most of their time here--it's the room right off our back entry.  I wanted to "make it fit" with the farmhouse theme I have in the rest of the house, but practical uses for the room have prevented that.  




Which is fine with me, my husband is such a hard worker, he needs a room that's "all his"...and I'm only too happy to make it that way.

See all the old knots and worm holes?  Too bad the photo frames cover all that up!  I also like how the weathered edges of the barn wood are left on each of the outer edges, for a "finished" look.

Being that it's a room that I let the men dictate in furnishings:  it's leather couches, with deer mounts on the wall as well as a few fish and up until Mark moved out, there were turkey mounts, too!

Not long ago, I decided it was past time I have some of our photography displayed in our home, the only problem is the old parts of the house have SO LITTLE wall space that is uninterrupted by windows, doors, or woodwork.  The family room was the only space that would work for a large display.

This rail--made fresh on Memorial day!-- holds seven matching frames that each hold three 8 x 10's that I bought using my 30% off coupons at Kohl's, and since they were also on sale, the frames came in at under $10 each.  


The only problem is, they had no hangers and there was no way to add them!  I like this method of display, though because it makes photos easy to change out and move around, I have plenty more of 8 x 10" prints.


Luke is SO PROUD of the photos he took that are displayed here, and the memories we've got of taking those photos together.


I have to say, I just love it.


I wanted to be sure to show you, too, and I can't wait to see what our next project becomes.