Cumberland Horse Barn Finish Line

If you have been reading our blog, you will have seen our progress pictures on the Cumberland Horse Barn.  We are happy to announce that we have finished this beautiful structure and the horses now have their very own comfortable shelter year round.  We enjoy all of our design and building projects, but a barn timber frame is especially significant to our company history and we were glad to have the opportunity to work with this family to provide a place for all their horse enthusiast needs.  Visit our website gallery (Cumberland Horse Barn) for more detail on the building or call us to plan your own barn project.

Add a Cupola For That Finishing Touch!

Many people who build a new barn or home often want to add a cupola. What are cupolas and why are they an important architectural feature?

Cupola is the Latin word for “rounded roof or ceiling,” or “little dome.” Cupola design dates back to the 8^th century, originating in Islamic architecture, and made its way throughout Europe gracing the tops of many public buildings. The Revolutionary War period brought a wave of popularity for cupola construction to homes, barns and church buildings in America, most commonly seen with a smaller, altered design than its Middle Eastern and European counterparts.

Throughout history cupolas have served as safe, dry lookout towers, but the main function of a cupola was to let light in and provide ventilation. The cupola is designed to pull air up and draw it out of the interior of the building, improving air flow so that moisture and condensation does not build up. The cupolas that Houses & Barns by John Libby build are not just for decoration, either. The photographs below display a variety of cupolas built by our company over the years. Modern cupolas can be tailored to be both functional and beautiful giving the homeowner many options of design, framing, roof material, siding and trim to choose from and built strong to weather our cold New England winters. And, don’t forget to add the weathervane!

(Click here to see more of these buildings or here to request more information.)