From Michigan’s pristine Upper Peninsula to the lofty Rocky Mountains to the gritty downtown alleys of Washington, D.C., Bark House® poplar bark shingles and bark wall panels continue to make headlines in the architecture and lifestyle press.
Renowned for innovation in regenerative bark wall finishes, Bark House® bark wall panels honor the essence of the Appalachian forest and connect people to nature. Careful manufacturing and proprietary grading protect the pristine characteristics of the bark so its unique attributes can be celebrated in the built environment. Thoughtful business practices build new capacity.
The company has earned world-acclaimed certifications and awards including the first PLATINUM LEVEL Cradle to Cradle Certification, B Corp Best For The World, Sanford Institute Regenerative Company, and Buckminster Fuller Catalyst Company. Product Awards include Architectural Record Product of the Year and Finalist in the John Ruskin Prize.
From the source, through manufacturing and installation, back to clean soil – the function of bark is elevated to adorn walls outside and within.
Bill McDonough (author of Cradle to Cradle) shared this about Bark House, “…you are looking at a product that is almost a sacred thing…people are being honored with right-fit jobs, forests are being honored with sustainable forestry, and the buildings that use these materials are being honored with safe, healthy materials.”
Discerning architects and homeowners crave an honest connection to nature through the materials they select for their built environment: style, solidity, longevity, precision…and above all, excellence.
Our mission at Bark House® is to connect people with nature: pure connections that protect the essence of the raw materials, honor the life of the forest and deliver the highest functionality.
Bark House® Poplar Bark Shingles meet all those criteria, and decades of media coverage illustrate an immense range of exterior and interior applications and reveal the decades-long story of this iconic brand in the making.
Now enjoy some of the newer projects drawing media attention for outstanding use of bark shingle siding in both contemporary and traditional styling.
The house called Poplar Grove, in Southeast Washington, D.C., demonstrates the appropriateness of Bark House® shingles for an unlikely urban infill setting. Several architecture publications – dwell, Archdaily Architecture Website, and AIA Washington Architectural Foundation – have featured this compact 2,500 square foot house. Owner-architect Andrew Linn says, “I love it, it’s the best…bark gets better with time! We enjoy seeing people realize that the house is an actual tree house, tucked away in a D.C. alley.”
The low-slung 10,000 square foot house named Highlands Retreat, near Aspen, Colorado, marries Bark House® shingles with rugged stone for an exterior that rises from the site in perfect harmony with nature. Architect Cristof Eigelberger approached the high-altitude setting boldly, yet with sensitivity to native vegetation.
Featured in Mountain Living, the home maintains its minimal visual impact amidst a landscape of aspen trees, wildflowers, and billowing ferns. The bark siding, with its tremendous durability, will help sustain this natural tableau for generations.
On northern Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula, homeowner David Moss says “The Bark House® bark played a significant role in our cabin design. It’s been 12 years since we’ve installed this bark siding at our cabin and we’re as happy as on day one. We used it outside and inside.
This Anam Cara (anamcaracabin.com) family home and bark house rental unit on Lake Medora gets star billing at CabinLife.com. Notice how the house nestles into the wooded setting. David Moss speaks for many in describing his family’s experience with poplar bark shingle siding. “The shingles were easy to install, long-lasting and sustainable. Equally important, they’re unique, attractive and harmonize with their natural surroundings. What’s not to like?”
Just outside the town of Cashiers, North Carolina, where poplar bark shingles evolved from the original chestnut bark – now extinct – a recent update of the High Hampton inn and resort has brought back the classic look of a luxury summer camp. Robb Report highlights the craftsmanship that lets Bark House® shingles shine as the headline architectural act. No wonder a new generation of visitors to High Hampton feels right at home among the spacious verandas and snug cabins set in the glorious Appalachian highlands.
Another Appalachian home, called Natural Setting, has been featured in Southern Living magazine. Charlotte, N.C., architect Don Duffy returned to Linville, North Carolina, where bark siding has its roots, beginning as a niche product for second home owners. This new home looks proud to display its poplar shingles that perfectly connect three centuries of bark house heritage and innovation.
Perhaps Carol Sanford (author of the Regenerative Business series) expressed why we love bark wall finishes so much when she said, “…if I was in a space with Bark House bark wall coverings, I would know that I had found a place where we belong.”