Amy Kleinwachter, the owner of Old World Antieks, spends a lot of time searching the globe for heirloom-worthy pieces and unique architectural salvage. But her best find so far has been a 14-foot grain silo which came from a ranch just down the road from her home in La Grange, Texas. Since she already built an entire farmhouse out of salvaged materials, Amy immediately envisioned transforming the silo into a quirky, homestyle that would make a perfect addition on her 10-acres of land.
Once she had the silo hauled over, Amy enlisted the help of Judy Kurtz to help sift and pick from her extensive inventory of weathered beadboard, window frames, and sheet material.
“It took a surprising amount of geometry to make things work in a circle, but Judy nailed it!” says Amy.
The completed 1,000 square-foot guesthouse now includes a front porch with a bed/bath extension, making it the perfect size for family, friends, and visiting pickers alike.
Says Amy: “We joke that it’s given new meaning to ‘gather ’round.’”
But as impressive as the outside looks, Amy’s interior touches will blow your socks off!
Living Area
In the living area, Amy repurposes an old champagne crate into a cute upholstered footrest, thanks to a grain sack cushion topper. She compliments the footrest with two old leather chairs and an antique bleach oak table to complete her eclectic sitting area.
Office Area
Amy then transformed an old floral-stand sign into an excellent floating desk. She also hung additional signage throughout. When buying old signs, she advises:
“Ask questions. A good dealer will know a backstory and have a clear grasp on the materials. If they’re fuzzy on that, it’s probably a fake.”
Bedroom
For the guest bedroom, Amy took some old wood salvaged from a nearby historic Texas home, then treated and sealed it with a varathane polyurethane sealant so guests won’t have to breathe in lead paint. Check with your local health department or contractor in your area for information using this technique.
The bedroom’s textured walls pairs well with a wrought-iron queen-sized bed dressed in stylish, new, crisp linens. Amy says finding a comfortable antique queen proved to be a next to impossible task. She also discovered the oil still life on a European antiquing trip.
Bathroom
“This is the one thing a picker can never have too much of. When placing planks, I pay attention to paint weathering. I’m careful to do it in a way that looks organic—nothing too perfect, but nothing too random either,” she says.
Bathroom Vinette
Amy gives an old phone nook a second life as a flush-mounted bathroom shelving fixture.
Wall Decor
Amy had to barter with an Etsy vendor for this quaint antique liquidation sign.
Dental Panes
“It’s essentially a tin can and inherently dark,” Amy says of the silo. “I waded through my stash for window options with ample height and modest width to maximize natural light and still work within the constraints of the circular design.”
She managed to convince a friend to buy an old set from a dentist’s office a few years ago and repurchased them for her guest bedroom.
Metal Awnings
“Old windows are one of my favorite things to hunt for, but metal awnings are right behind. I love how they bring depth to a design with a rugged fussiness.”
Ornate Headers
“Intricately carved window and door headers are my go-to when I want to define a space or embellish without having to hang artwork,” says Amy.
Front Porch
Amy’s guest house even includes it’s very own on-site alarm clock hen!
What do you think of Amy’s silo guesthouse? Tell us in the comment section and be sure to share her incredible story with your friends and family.
