Our Studio
When Phil and Else moved to their farm Gudbrandsgard in 1990 they faced the choice of abandoning the barn that was built in 1917 or restoring it for use. They decided to restore the barn. Else took the largest room on the second floor where the haymow had been as her studio and machine shop. Her room houses the saws, planer, jointer and other equipment necessary to build furniture. Phil settled for a smaller room for his carving studio.
There is ample space for lumber storage both on the upper and lower levels. There is also room for horse stalls. The horse stalls are bedded with shavings from the wood shop. Composted horse manure and wood shavings make very good mulch and fertilizer for the vegetable garden and flower gardens.
Else’s machine room and carving studio is large enough to accommodate 12–14 extra carving benches, which allows the couple to hold carving classes there in September of each year.