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The Season of Change

While many of us are just now thinking about how we need to start to be more sustainable and to reuse and rebuild what we have, Steve and Lisa Martins held the mindset long ago.

Steve Martins grew up in Guilford, Connecticut, where history is preserved and cherished, and every field trip in grammar school was to one of the area's many historical homes.

"Maybe that's where I got this notion that we could save and re-purpose the wood from buildings and barns, that sometimes we are too quick to tear down," says Martins. "I feel like we can hold on to a piece of history as well as give it a new history for people's homes. I often try to incorporate the older woods within the new wood when creating a custom order for a customer."

Five years ago, a passion turned into a business that started in their backyard in Killingworth. In 2015, Steve and Lisa were both fully employed – Steve a police officer at night while he built furniture during the day; and Lisa in retail management for more than 20 years, but with a love for home design that could not be contained any longer. They married his skills with her design sense and opened The Rustic Barn at their home in—you guessed it—their barn.

They quickly outgrew the space and moved to a storefront location on Rt 81 in the downtown area of rural Killingworth. Steve Martins' 25 years of woodworking experience delights his customers with original handcrafted tables, cabinetry, and tabletop creations. Lisa Martin's home interior passion offers the latest, sophisticated looks of textiles, silk flowers, and greenery,

"We love when we hear customers saying, 'Oh, I think I need everything!'" says Lisa Martins.

Lisa Martins has also mastered candle making and has a reputation for amazing soy candles of fabulous scents with clever names. No dyes are used, giving the pure white candles the most sophisticated style. Often, you can catch her creating fresh candles in the backroom of the store. Lisa Martins introduces new scents seasonally and offers 22 traditional scents all year long.

What makes the Rustic Barn so unique and always current is its seasonal changes. The store shuts down for a few days every season, then re-opens with the magic of the next season, always keeping the merchandise fresh and changing, yet in some way maintaining a fresh new look for your home.

The Martins' are almost always on site along with Steve Martin's mother, Luba, who helps in the store at busy times. With his workshop close, Steve is just a phone call away and will pop over to help with consulting on a piece furniture to fit your needs. If you plan on visiting soon, plan on staying awhile because they have managed to cover all your senses from sight and smell, to complimentary popcorn while you visit. The Rustic Barn is truly a destination worth the trip.

This information was provided by The Rustic Barn, located at 157 Route 81, Killingworth. For more information, visit therusticbarnct.com or call 860-452-4145.