It's official! We're opening our doors on Thursday, September 7, 2023!
Shop Ayr Barns at our new address:
1835 Post Road East, Westport, CT 06880
Shop Hours:
Monday 10 am - 5 pm
Tuesday 10 am - 5 pm
Wednesday 11 am - 5 pm
Thursday 10 am - 5 pm
Friday 10 am - 5 pm
Saturday 10 am - 6 pm
Sunday 12 pm - 6 pm
We are so grateful for your support as our business continues to grow, and are looking forward to seeing you in the shop soon!
Becca and the Ayr Barns team. xx
Continue reading for more details on the transformation of the shop, and a Q&A with Becca..
Updated August 24, 2023
We're inching closer to opening our doors! Take a sneak peek at the progress thus far..
We've been working away behind the scenes to build out our first brick-and-mortar Ayr Barns shop in Westport, CT! We're excited to continue sharing our progress as the shop takes shape, and invite you to visit and share our Careers page as we inch closer to our Grand Opening.
Updated August 10, 2023
Exteriors & Interiors
The renovation of the barn is breathing new life into the space, starting with a fresh coat of paint in lighter and brighter tones to add an inviting air of ease— while still honouring the original character and structure of the building by refinishing existing rafters and fixtures.
The original rusty-red exterior of the barn has now been painted a soft shade of sage:
Farrow & Ball French Gray No. 18.
The barn before..
Existing rafters and light fixtures in the barn's interior have been repainted and refinished to brighten the space.
Detailed millwork has been crafted for the barn's windows and doorways, and vertical paneling has been layered upon the antechamber to add character and elevate the finishing of the interior.
The ceiling and beams are painted in Benjamin Moore White Dove OC-17, while the interior walls are painted in Farrow & Ball School House White No. 291.
A palette of soothing tones complement the barn's soaring ceilings, bouncing the bright light that enters the space to create an inviting atmosphere.
Natural stones, reclaimed woods, and raw finishes balance the careful curation of hardware and fixtures found at every touchpoint throughout the shopping experience.
A sneak peek at the materials selected for the barn's interior..
Stone Veneer by Quarry Mill is applied to a wall in the barn's interior, while Creme Cloe Tiles by Bedrosian adorn the shop's cafe. Prosource Flooring is laid throughout. Bird and Thistle by Brundschwig & Fils wallpaper was chosen for the shop's bathroom.
Q&A with Becca Casey, Founder of Ayr Barns & Becca Interiors
How did you select the location of Ayr Barns first shop? What drew you to the space?
After participating in a few local pop-ups, we could see the excitement and popularity around our brand. We didn’t have plans to open a brick and mortar just yet, but as my own excitement swelled I started browsing the area to see if there happened to be anywhere available.
To my utter surprise, we came across the perfect barn located in Westport, in a wonderful location. It felt too good to be true. Upon entering the space, the soaring ceilings, beautiful cedar shingle roof, and sparkling light filled space really excited me. It was quite outdated, but we are so pleased at the transformation.
How did you determine the layout of the space?
This was challenging, as there was no real segmentation within the space aside from the bathroom. We first set out to create rooms within the space, representing each of the categories we have under the Ayr Barns brand. Squeezing in a cafe was tight too, but we saw this as an intimate area for friends to gather and catch up to experience the lifestyle aspect of Ayr Barns.
What were your top considerations for designing a commercial space compared to the residential work that you are known for?
First, considering materials and understanding commercial regulations- it's important that you spec hardy materials that can stand up to commercial ware. It’s also imperative to know what regulations you need to follow to be up to code with whichever state you retail out of.
Nurturing spatial awareness and scale was key- tape out areas and understand the flow of traffic within the space, think about how you would enjoy moving through it as a customer.
Lastly, don’t consider anything permanent- one of the best lessons I have learned within this process is that people like change and ingenuity. Allowing the fixtures within the shop the flexibility to move to different areas, as well as the product to be re-arranged will only leverage your brand even more. Customers will love to walk in to discover a new setup and appreciate a product which they may have never noticed before.
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