Wynn MedingerWith more than 20 years of experience building custom barns, B&D Builders is launching its 2022 Trend Guide for private and commercial equestrian facilities.
1: The Intersection of Riding and Entertainment
Barns are becoming much more than what most people think of when they hear the word, barn. They are transforming into epicenters for horses and owners to enjoy luxury amenities and entertainment that go above and beyond traditional basic stalls and storage.
“There is a huge uptick in equestrian facility spaces that provide riders with elevated entertaining, such as fully stocked bars or kitchens. And we predict this trend will continue to rise in popularity over the next several years,” said Daniel Glick, co-founder and co-owner of B&D Builders. Spaces such as living rooms or game rooms are in demand as more owners look to create areas that blend creature comforts with the love of their horses.
2: Greater Emphasis on Horse Wellness and Comfort
Stalls provide a safe haven for horses to relax and take shelter from the elements. But in older barns, horses can injure themselves on exposed rust, sharp metal edges, or splintering wood. Many barn owners are replacing old stalls or building new ones and adding plenty of custom touches to increase their horses’ wellness and comfort.
“From heated spaces to memory foam mattresses to padded walls, these newer innovations for your equine friends are the next big thing in horse barns,” said Ben Esh, co-founder and co-owner of B&D Builders.
Horses’ personalities are coming into play more than ever before too. For social horses, B&D recommends spaces that provide ongoing stimulation, often with half-wall stall partitions. For horses that are more introverted, quiet spaces with full-wall stall partitions make more sense. Collaboration between builders and their clients, who know their horses better than anyone, make these kinds of thoughtful customizations possible.
B&D is also seeing an uptick in other barn improvements as well. “In addition to stabling upgrades, we anticipate the size of indoor riding arenas will continue to get larger. Traditional arenas were around 72-by-100 feet, and now today we are building most structures to be 100 by 200 at least, if not more,” added Ed Ferderbar, B&D Builders CEO. “This gives horses the benefit of a larger turning radius.”
3: Reclaimed Wood Takes Center Stage
B&D forecasts that the use of reclaimed wood is here to stay. Eco-friendly, rustic, and warm, reclaimed wood is not necessarily a new trend, but it’s one that is rising in prominence and growing exponentially as equestrian owners look for more sustainably sourced building products.
Using reclaimed wood in certain areas of the barn, such as tack room interiors or tack islands, allows owners to mix and match old-world charm with modern looks like shiny metal finishes to complement custom forged metalwork on stalls or railings. They foresee that more horse stall fronts will be constructed of reclaimed wood, especially oak for its sturdiness, and it will be used more often for ceiling joists, floors, decorative wainscoting, and storage cabinetry as well.
In addition to reclaimed wood, certain wood species are growing in popularity and driving wood-look trends: white oak and mahogany in particular. Both species offer tight grain patterns, which means the wood is denser, and in turn more robust, adding longevity to barns.
Imagining Your Future Equestrian Home
From stepping up the luxury of an equine space to putting greater emphasis on horses’ wellness and comfort to leveraging more reclaimed wood products, the B&D team of experts know these 2022 equestrian barn trends have staying power. To learn more about B&D Builders, or to get a consultation for building or renovating an equestrian facility, visit: BandDBuilders.com.