Modern Bungalow With Black Barn In Picturesque Village

Located in the beautiful village of East Aurora, just outside Buffalo, NY. The home was designed using the Bungalow philosophy so popular in the early 1900s. The layout and design focuses on simplicity, built-in organization, natural materials, and a clean aesthetic. The owners believe a large front porch is where friends are made...a middle ground between public and private that builds community. So they insisted on an inviting front porch to sit, talk, visit with friends and neighbors, and say hello to passers by. The large porch with it’s impressive wood beams and copper gas light, make the modest one and a half story, 2200 square foot home appear much larger than it really is. The porch is 40' x 10' so there is plenty of room for cast and equipment. Further, there are no handrails to get in the way. Like all true bungalows, the front door opens directly to the living area. The day to day entrance is through a the side mudroom, but the front door and mudroom door are connected by a herringbone pattern brick floor which is perfect for wet and snowy shoes and keeps the Acacia wood floors clean and dry. Rugs are hand woven tribal rugs of Iranian, Afghani, and Kazak origin rather than the traditional Navajo rugs of a classic 1915-era bungalow, and can be easily removed to change the look of the set. From almost every point in the home, you either look directly out a window, or are drawn around to a window that bathes the home in natural light, even on the darkest days. Where the owners strayed a bit from classic bungalow style, they’ve stayed true to the philosophy. Not ‘“formal diners”, they opt to eat around the spacious island or at the banquette, eschewing a formal dining room. Both locations are perfect for commercial shoots. The pantry sliding barn door is made from reclaimed wood from an old barn that was located here in the village, as is the beam in the master bath. The master, living areas and laundry are all on the first floor, the doorways are a bit wider, and the walk-in shower omits the curb step. The floors are Acacia wood in all living areas, and herringbone brick from the mudroom to the front door. The home is decorated very simply, and almost entirely with things we’ve collected from the various places around the world we’ve been blessed to live and work, including Japan, China, Korea, Germany, Central Asia, throughout the Middle East, Africa, and of course the wilds of the Republic of Texas! In 2021, we added a two-story barn with a rustic bar on the first floor (dubbed the "Black Barn Pub." With an adjacent boulder fire pit, it's a great place to shoot a relaxing day or evening around the fire.