This winter we began renovating our hayloft area. This is the area upstairs of the barn and Gallery. For so long, this has simply been wasted space. We knew we wanted to make something of it, but seemed perplexed on what it could be.
For awhile, we toyed with the idea of becoming a wedding venue. But lack of parking and the idea of closing our Inn on weekends quickly tossed this idea. (Not to mention the licensing that goes along with event venues.) We knew we wanted to add more guest suites, over the barn, and we contemplated adding one on the Gallery side of the hayloft.
Then, in December, we had an epiphany. The weather was ugly and our guests seemed “bored.” Sure, they had been with the animals and were able to use the Gallery, but we realized that our winter guests needed more.
The warmer months offer plenty of outdoor amenities to keep you entertained for hours. But what about winter? There needed to be indoor amenities for guests to enjoy when the weather outside slapped you in the face and sent you, literally, straight to your room.
Why not make the hayloft an area with indoor activities? We were so excited and quickly got to work designing the space.
The first room we built was our Sauna room, because truly it was freezing outside and what on earth could be better than a 120 degree Sauna?!
We decided to go with a natural green and brown theme. The space feels organic and zen, natural and relaxing…perfect for a sauna session. The infrared sauna will not only detoxify you, but it also offers color therapy to calm your senses.
A particular favorite is the custom cushions designed by local Berea shop, Little Rays. For the cushions, our logo was sporadically placed amongst a pale green and “dirt” background. The cushion have an earthy look to them and we love the personalization!
Lastly we added some bamboo to match the theme and sauna itself.
We think that guests will enjoy the space all year long, and particularly on those cold days. During a rain shower, the metal roof offers its own meditational soundtrack that perfectly sedates even the busiest mind.
And while we discuss health, what about a fitness center! Everybody feels better after a workout and what could be more fun than working out in a barn hayloft?
The fitness center features an elliptical machine, spin bike and Bowflex system. There is also an inversion chair for stretching back muscles.
No matter if you get in 20 minutes or an hour, every minute spent in the fitness center entitles you to an evening bite of our complimentary cookies. Ahhhh….Delicious Motivation!
Now its time for some fun! Thats where the idea for our billiard game room came into play. What a fun way to spend an evening or afternoon indoors. You may go up to the loft and play with your spouse, or perhaps you will meet other guests and make new friends. This room is all about being social and having fun.
To decorate the walls, we wanted to go with a sports theme. But not just any sport…we wanted to focus on our sport horses and their accomplishments. To start, we commissioned local artist Ashley McCauley. Ashley painted a beautiful rendition of our Lady Bird racing. Lady, who raced under the name “Copper Lady” had a very successful racing career before tragically being injured in 2018. The painting beautifully captures the competitiveness Lady has always held. Though we disagree with some of the ways racing handles horses, there is no denying how proud we are of all Lady accomplished. She was a fierce competitor and worked extremely hard at her sport. We obtained a racing saddle cloth with her name on it to hang beside her painting.
The room not only serves as a great place to socialize but also as a way for us to share Lady’s past with guests.
In the future we hope to add highlights of Beans and his career as a barrel racer.
And what about Bubba B? Well, if Bubba B had his pick, he’d probably want to be in our last room. Always the “clown” with his comedic antics and always looking to cuddle…Bubba B would love our home theater room. This space offers guests a fun area to enjoy a movie.
Guests will have the option to choose from over 200 dvds. They can pop some popcorn, sit back in the comfy theater seats or couch, and enjoy their flick.
This room will be the perfect way to spend an evening or rainy afternoon.
We are excited and proud to share all these new amenities with our future guests. We love sharing our farm with so many, and truly want to make it the best experience possible. No matter if you pass through for an evening, or stay a few days, we hope it will be an experience you will never forget.
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