A New Kind of Family Room

With three teenagers in tow, a Canadian couple keeps the peace (and, sometimes, the quiet) with a barn tailor-made for game nights, guitar sing-alongs, and cousins-by-the-dozen sleepovers.

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When their lakeside cottage gets a bit cramped, Emily Griffin and Norman Howe (with children Max, Grace, and Oscar) slide open the gray-green doors (Copley Gray by Benjamin Moore) to the backyard barn.

keeping the peace

NO-FUSS FABRIC

Everything in the barn is essentially indestructible, like our timeworn rugs and sectional slipcovers, says homeowner Emily Griffin. You can enjoy the house more when you aren't worried about stains or breakages. The colorful pillow assortment, including a few made from vintage kilims, pops against the two-story-high whitewashed pine walls. It keeps it light and airy but still feels rustic and charming, she says.

keeping the peace

FUN ON CUE