Noah Bradley, Author at Handmade Houses with Noah Bradley

29 06, 2019

An A-frame home

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:25:18+00:00

Ahhh yes, the A-frame.

There was a time when many friends that I knew dreamed of having an A-frame home.

Myself included.

They were cozy, cute, and easy to build.

The fad seemed to have died off long ago… maybe one day the popularity of these will return.

Originally posted 2015-12-04 12:10:19.

An A-frame homeNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:25:18+00:00

29 06, 2019

One more reason to love the color red

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:25:17+00:00

One advantage to painting a home the color red is so that you can find it on a snowy day!

Originally posted 2015-12-04 11:57:31.

One more reason to love the color redNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:25:17+00:00

29 06, 2019

One of the reasons we have so many fine old cabins today is that they were sided over shortly after being built, which protected them from any weather issues. This log home was likely built of logs for the ability to build a strong home at a reasonable price, not for the sake of the beauty of having a log house. The style of the home, the use of brick chimneys, the condition of the logs, and the extra wide window trim are all clues to this home having once stood as white farmhouse that we so often seen along back country roads.

Originally posted 2015-12-04 11:46:45.

Log farmhouseNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:25:16+00:00

29 06, 2019

A simple decorative touch

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:25:15+00:00

Just because there is snow on the roof doesn’t mean there isn’t a fire inside.

Isn’t it amazing how much the simple wreath adds to the beauty of this home? Without it this home might appear cold and abandoned… but with this simple loving touch the home becomes… inviting.

Originally posted 2015-12-04 11:37:06.

A simple decorative touchNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:25:15+00:00

29 06, 2019

Unique corner notching

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:25:14+00:00

Notice the unique notching on this corner of the cabin. Typically the log ends would be similar in size but here they are all noticeably smaller on one side of the cabin than on the other.

With regard to log cabins, an “industry standard” was never achieved… each builder, it seems, has added his own creative touch.

Originally posted 2015-12-03 15:23:45.

Unique corner notchingNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:25:14+00:00

29 06, 2019

A woodstove within an inglenook

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:25:13+00:00

A woodstove within an inglenook… incredibly attractive… and a wonderful source of heat.

Originally posted 2015-12-03 15:08:33.

A woodstove within an inglenookNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:25:13+00:00

29 06, 2019

An Inglenook

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:25:12+00:00

Now that’s a fireplace!
In fact, some would call this an “inglenook”… a fireplace designed so that a place to sit down near the fire was part of the design.

Originally posted 2015-12-02 22:32:51.

An InglenookNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:25:12+00:00

29 06, 2019

Proper design comes from thorough study

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:25:11+00:00

This home, as nice as it is, could have been so much better, at no additional cost, nor additional labor, with just a couple of minor design adjustments implemented.

Keep in mind that the combination of log and stone is one of the best mixes a homeowner can put together.

Here we have a nice vintage log cabin with a great original stone chimney… notice that the stones are laid flat and in a horizontal pattern, and that they have great texture and color.

Later on, the current homeowners have added this stone addition and used properly matching stone… which was a wise choice.

But, somehow the addition falls flat… it’s… “nice”, but not… “OMG!!!… that’s AMAZING!!!”

What happened?

Well, for one thing the newer stone work on this addition drifted away from being horizontally laid to more of a “random pattern”… as if it was laid with the aid of a giant shotgun.

But, the larger failing here is one of design (or lack thereof)… a lack of attention… to the roof pitch and an “eye-pleasing” use of windows.

The nearly flat roof that crowns this stone section gives this give it an “industrial… mobile home… modern” look.

And, with regard to windows… the simple addition of a little window on the chimney end, and larger one on the long side, would have dramatically improved the overall appearance.

So what’s the point in all my rambling here this morning?

Too much coffee you say? lol

It’s just that… If a person is going to build… if they are going to buy a nice piece of land… if they are going to use attractive materials… shouldn’t they arrange those materials in the most attractive way that they can?

And the secret to learning appealing design?

Simply look at every home, and every photo of a home, that you find attractive… study each home and try to figure out what it is about that particular home that makes it special (or not special).

Then do it again… and again… and again.

Or… hire someone who has done this process, over and over, for years, to design your home for you.

Certainly beauty is in the eye of the beholder… but I would be willing to wager that I could have spent 15 minutes with a pen and the back of an envelope and convinced this owner to make a few adjustments that would have blessed him for years to come.

Originally posted 2015-12-02 15:26:29.

Proper design comes from thorough studyNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:25:11+00:00

29 06, 2019

A stone cottage with a missing window

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:25:10+00:00

Which would you choose to have on the end of this cozy stone cottage? A window? or a bricked-in chimney flue pipe?

I assume the owners of this home wanted a heating stove installed and this was their solution. I would have located the stove off to one side of the window and then run the pipe through the roof.

Originally posted 2015-12-02 14:23:09.

A stone cottage with a missing windowNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:25:10+00:00

29 06, 2019

Rebuilding an old log cabin

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:25:09+00:00

There are four clues that indicate this cabin has been re-built in a different location… 1) the jar lids that are still nailed to the ends of some of the logs (a common method of numbering the logs)… 2) the front door and wide trim around it (although old, they don’t quite match do they?) …. 3) the bottom sill log on the front is in perfect condition (likely from another salvaged cabin)… 4) and some of the logs on one side of the cabin don’t match those on the other side.
Overall, a fine job rebuilding an old cabin… (but, I’d have been tempted to add some windows and a front porch… and a chimney).

Originally posted 2015-12-01 14:00:43.

Rebuilding an old log cabinNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:25:09+00:00

Join The Handmade House Guild!
Lifetime Access to EVERYTHING!

About Noah Bradley