There was a loving “presence” about this house.
Her design didn’t broadcast to the world “I have more money than you” but rather she whispered… “welcome home”.
Originally posted 2015-06-08 16:51:49.
I liked the look of the addition off of the back of the house. It was pleasing to the eye and really gave the impression that this was a huge home, and I suppose at the time that it was built, this was indeed, a grand home, likely filled with a large active family.
But this rough-sawn framed addition, upon closer inspection revealed a lot of problems and no redeeming materials, nor craftsmanship. It was clearly built by “the lowest bidder”. So sad.
The addition would need to be removed and a new improved back-section of the house added back.
Originally posted 2015-06-08 14:41:58.
Houses in this condition are rare today.
It seems that homes are either well maintained and improved as the years go by. Or they fall into disrepair and neglect, and then are trashed by renters before they are finally destroyed.
This home’s occupants though always cared for the house, seeing to it that it never leaked or went cold during the winter, but beyond that most basic level of care, no upgrades were ever made.
Underneath the old siding on this house was one well-crafted log home which my new client wanted revealed.
And this little front porch, as cute as she was, needed to be enlarged.
Originally posted 2015-06-08 14:29:23.
The bride was barefoot.
Way back in the 1980’s, when I was a carpenter, a dear friend of mine rented this old house which was located up a local holler here in the Piedmont region of Virginia. That friend eventually got married to a fine young lady in the back yard of this house and there I witnessed my first barefooted bride.
I remember little else about that wedding. I’ve attended so many over the years that they all tend to blur into one giant celebration. But for some reason there is something memorable about toes sticking out beyond that elegant dress.
It was about 20 years later that I received the call from the owner of this home that he wanted me to restore this home to her former glory for him to use as his primary residence. I had previously built his brother’s house and he was pleased with my work and his brother’s praise of the experience.
It’s funny how things work out in this life. There are so many “dots” in this life that one day connect, or so it seems.
Originally posted 2015-06-08 14:04:42.
Coming up this week… how I “upgraded” this home. The photo above was taken near completion… the photo below was taken on Day One.
Originally posted 2015-06-07 19:59:58.
Writing the check for that copper roof was not easy back then, but the owners of this house have now watched each of their neighbors replace their roofs… twice.
And this copper roof?
It’s still as good as new… in fact, the owners could double their original investment by selling the copper to the local scrap yard.
Chances are that one of the owners children will soon buy the home off of the parents, and they too will never have to replace the roofing.
Sweet.
Originally posted 2015-06-07 13:24:13.
With just the addition of old pine beams this room became a very special place.
Originally posted 2015-06-07 13:09:33.
It was on this house that I learned that screen porches were not just for us common folk… but, that everyone loves a nice screen porch!
Originally posted 2015-06-07 13:03:32.
This is Inglecress…. a home near and dear to me.
I was the job foreman on this home. A foreman is the man in charge of the process of creating a home to look like something drawn on a set of plans. A foreman is the man who truly puts his blood, sweat, and tears into a home.
A year later and I would start my own company and begin the process of becoming a designer/builder. This home would provide me with inspiration in the possibilities of refined “rusticness”.
Originally posted 2015-06-07 12:56:29.
My windowsill… this photo was taken last July.
That’s fake snow on the window, and a fake evergreen branch, and a fake tree outside with fake snow on it.
Oh those sales catalogs… is nothing real in them?
At least the candle is real.
Wait a minute.
Originally posted 2015-06-06 22:33:20.
