Project Spotlight: Williamsburg Restaurant's Barn Wood Feature Wall

When the design team behind a new farm-to-table restaurant in Williamsburg reached out to us, they had a specific vision: a floor-to-ceiling feature wall made from authentic barn wood that would set the tone for the entire dining experience. Here's how we made it happen.

The Brief

The restaurant, occupying a ground-floor commercial space on North 6th Street, needed approximately 400 square feet of wall coverage. The designers wanted weathered, gray-toned barn siding with a mix of widths and textures — nothing too polished or refined. The wall would serve as the backdrop for the main dining area, visible from the street through floor-to-ceiling windows.

Sourcing the Material

We sourced the siding from two barns in the Hudson Valley that were being deconstructed. The wood was primarily eastern white pine and hemlock, ranging from 6 to 12 inches wide, with the silvered gray patina that only decades of outdoor weathering can produce. Some boards retained traces of their original red barn paint — a detail the designers particularly loved.

Preparation

Restaurant applications require extra attention to cleanliness and safety. Every board was:

• De-nailed and scanned for embedded metal
• Power-washed to remove surface dirt and debris
• Heat-treated to 160°F core temperature to eliminate any insects or biological concerns
• Back-brushed to remove loose fibers while preserving the front face patina
• Sealed with a clear, food-safe penetrating finish that protects the wood without altering its weathered appearance

Installation

Our team worked with the restaurant's general contractor to install the boards horizontally on a plywood backer, using a random mix of widths and staggered end joints. The installation took three days and covered the full 18-foot height of the space.

Strategic uplighting was installed at the base of the wall to graze the surface and highlight the wood's texture and depth. The effect is striking — the wall has an almost geological quality, like layers of history compressed into a single surface.

The Finished Space

The barn wood wall has become the restaurant's signature design element. It connects the farm-to-table concept to something tangible and physical — these boards once sheltered livestock and stored hay on working farms. Now they create atmosphere for diners in one of Brooklyn's most exciting new restaurants.

We love projects like this because they demonstrate that reclaimed wood isn't just a building material — it's a storytelling medium. If you're designing a commercial space and want to incorporate reclaimed wood, let's talk about what's possible.