At This Old House, we love Idea Houses so much that in 2020 we decided to build two—and we are thrilled to have featured Baird Brothers Fine Hardwoods in both projects. Here’s a look at the many ways Baird helped beautify the Farmhouse in Fairfield County and the Cottage on the Cape with its precision-milled, custom-crafted wood products.
TOH Idea House: Farmhouse in Fairfield County
The centerpiece of the TOH Farmhouse in Fairfield County is this bold and beautiful, 22-by-44-foot great room. Designed with entertaining in mind, this modern yet surprisingly cozy space has plenty of farmhouse appeal thanks to hefty 10×12 collar ties overhead, boxed with the same live sawn white oak used on the floors.
Featured: 7″ Live Sawn White Oak Flooring; Live Sawn White Oak Box Beams; Trim in Poplar
Personal Space
Leading into the ground-floor master suite, a sophisticated sitting room features pocket doors for privacy; framed in bright white trim, the doors become a unique focal point in the room.
Featured: BB3000 3-Panel Character Grade Solid White Oak Doors; 7″ Live Sawn White Oak Flooring; Trim in Poplar
Light-filled lounge
Another sitting room—this one at the top of the stairs, with unfussy furnishings, a neutral palette, and white oak floors—creates a comfortable, casual hangout.
Featured: 7″ Live Sawn White Oak Flooring; Trim in Poplar
Space-saving hallway doors
White oak floors lead the way down the hall to the guest rooms and shared bath. Pocket doors save space, and baseboard moldings and door trim provide a polished look.
Featured: 7″ Live Sawn White Oak Flooring; BB3000 3-Panel Paint Grade Poplar Doors; Trim in Poplar
Pretty pocket doors
A peek behind a pair of pocket doors reveals a surprisingly spacious, sunny bunk room that sleeps six.
Featured: 7″ Live Sawn White Oak Flooring; BB3000 3-Panel Paint Grade Poplar Doors; Trim in Poplar; B612-FJPOP Smooth Primed Poplar Shiplap
Mirrored mudroom doors
In the combination mudroom/laundry center, a coat closet features mirrored sliding doors perfect for checking your look before heading out.
Want to see how these beautiful doors are made? Join TOH host Kevin O’Connor on a road trip to Canfield, Ohio, where he stops by the Baird Brothers manufacturing facility for a look behind the scenes.
Featured: Mirrored 1-Lite Shaker Style Poplar Wood Doors; Trim in Poplar
TOH Idea House: Cottage on the Cape
Where the TOH Farmhouse was, well, farmhouse-inspired, the TOH 2020 Cottage on the Cape featured coastal-chic interiors and a laid-back vibe.
Here on the ground floor, black window frames and modern accents give the open living, dining, and kitchen areas a fresh, contemporary feel that’s softened by the gray walls, white trim details, and white oak floors.
Featured: 4″ Select Grade Flooring in White Oak
Transitioning floors
Entering the rental unit from the main house, the transition is marked by a shift from lighter, select-grade white oak floors to darker-stained character-grade flooring. Character grades typically provide a more natural and rustic look.
Featured: 4″ Select Grade Flooring in White Oak (foreground); 4″ Character Grade Flooring in White Oak (background); Select Solid White Oak BB2200 2-Panel Shaker Doors; Trim in Poplar
Clever storage space
Behind a paint-grade poplar door, stackable laundry units are cleverly tucked away in this space under the reading loft.
Featured: Poplar BB2200 2-Panel Shaker Doors; 4″ Select Grade Flooring in White Oak; Trim in Poplar
Contrasting doors and trim
In this multihued guest bedroom, paint-grade doors and casings are coated in a muted pastel blue for a colorful contrast with the ceiling and walls.
Featured: Poplar BB2200 2-Panel Shaker Doors; 4″ Select Grade Flooring in White Oak; Trim in Poplar
Making an entrance
At the mudroom/family entrance, bright white trim creates a frame for a two-panel shaker-style door, making it pop against the ocean-inspired blue-green walls.
Featured: BB2200 Select Solid White Oak 2-Panel Shaker Doors; Trim in Poplar