Blog - Page 110 of 123 - Handmade Houses with Noah Bradley

Hands-on involvement

Here’s a photo of me demonstrating to a client one of the steps necessary in the process of chinking a vintage log cabin.

(Years have passed since this photo was taken but I still expect to see the same version of myself in the mirror today, and I am often shocked with the old man who now stares back… oh my… it looks like I’m getting side-tracked here with my thoughts… having a pity party… let me get back on topic…)

I am thrilled when clients express an interest in how the building process evolves. Even more so, when they state that they’d like to help. And, I am downright giddy when they actually do pitch in and lend a hand. It is a rare event.

This client (who, along with his wife, have been dear friends every since we built their home) took a full week off from his job and joined my crew. It was a great experience. It saved him money, it created fond memories for us all, and it gave this client a much greater appreciation for the physical exertion and the time that it takes to build a handmade house.

Originally posted 2015-02-14 16:54:22.

Hands-on involvementNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:10:20+00:00

Gallery

A stone cottage that blends into the landscape

This stone cottage is a low visual impact structure… with minimal landscaping, it’s only a single story tall, using local salvaged stone. The house site, with it’s breathtaking views, is the main focus. The home serves as a shelter for the frail human beings that occupy it.

Originally posted 2015-02-14 15:22:42.

A stone cottage that blends into the landscapeNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:10:19+00:00

Just a nice detail

Notice the detail of how the roof angle posts are supported by the stone work… I’m right proud of that.

Originally posted 2015-02-13 15:30:29.

Just a nice detailNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:10:18+00:00

Stone cottage on a hillside

I have designed and built several stone cottages over the years. This one is on a hillside in Madison County, with spectacular views.

This home pulled me in a new direction, and I appreciate that, after all, no one wants to be stuck in a rut. We all know that we learn and grow with new experiences.

Anyway, back to the story of this structure…

This client wanted a small stone home built on his property in which he wanted zero bedrooms… none at all. That got my attention.

He was an outdoors-man and intended to sleep outside in a tent whenever visiting the property… visitors and guests would do the same. He wanted this stone cottage to handle all the other rooms of a house that we have come to enjoy… baths, kitchen, laundry, etc, and a large gathering room with massive stone fireplaces at each end and a wall of windows to take in the breathtaking view.

I clearly remember the struggle I had with getting a building permit for this home. I was the first and only builder to request a zero bedroom home permit. Government officials like to check every box, and there was no box for something so unique. (I’ve always enjoyed being an “out of the box” kind of guy).

The success that I have achieved in creating beauty in the majority of my projects has been by basing the the designs on historic structures (yes, I am a copy cat, and proud of it). I broke that “historical pattern” here on this home when I learned that the client had spent his career working for the National Park Service. I dug through many books written on the various structures that one would find in our national parks and this “look” is what I came up with.

I’ll post other photos this weekend showing some of the details . I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Originally posted 2015-02-13 15:22:51.

Stone cottage on a hillsideNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:10:17+00:00

Stonework is a labor-intensive form of art

One last photo to share from the barn/home project. Remember those arches that are so prominent in the photos of the front of the house? Here’s a close-up photo showing the workmanship that went into building those features.

Every one of these stones was created by very talented men, each with a hammer, a chisel, and lot of strength. These are not glued-on stones like you find in shopping centers, but solid rock that will last millennia.

I just love good stonework. Can’t you tell?

Originally posted 2015-02-13 13:46:28.

Stonework is a labor-intensive form of artNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:10:16+00:00

Mail order millwork

Here’s a photo showing some of the details on the front door unit out of the “catalog house”… at least I’m guessing it was a catalog house… I found no actual proof or record.

I’ve read that Sears, Montgomery Ward, and other firms sold homes through their mail order departments. And, that part of those package offerings were highly-machined intricate pieces of woodwork.

It’s a fascinating concept, that for a period in time in American history, very elaborate trim details were the thing to have. It was fun to dip my toe into this period, just once.

The focus of my work has always been on homes built prior to the Civil War where all the parts of a house were not only built on site, but were made on site, and often the raw materials were harvested on site… trees were cut, stones were gathered, and bricks were made.

And men were men.

Originally posted 2015-02-12 14:00:18.

Mail order millworkNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:10:15+00:00

Mail order house being destroyed

This house was unique with it’s combination of good and bad materials… located just feet from a railroad track and decaying rapidly… the railroad company and the land owner decided the house had to go.

What made the house unique was that the house was framed as poorly as it could have been with minimally sized lumber that was spaced as far apart as what would hold the house up, and no more… you know… like most homes built today.

But, the house was filled with elaborate trim that I was allowed to extract before the house came down.

I wondered if it might not have been one of those “mail order homes” of the past, where the future homeowner would buy the plans and woodwork of the home from a catalog and then the homeowner would by the framing lumber from a local sawmill… there was that much of a contrast between the quality of the framing and finish materials.

Originally posted 2015-02-12 13:13:31.

Mail order house being destroyedNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:10:14+00:00

A brick chimney coming down!

A chimney coming down!

This photo series was taken with my old Canon camera with a manual advice.

A chimney comes down no faster than a tree… but it’s a lot scarier… a tree doesn’t throw rocks (or bricks in this case) every where when it hits the ground. 🙂

It is always a sad, yet fascinating thing, to watch a chimney come down. Some chimneys can stand like monuments for centuries to come, but old brick chimneys are often a danger to leave standing… the inner bricks and those facing the house are often not cured, and thus are soft and will decompose quickly when exposed to the rain.

Originally posted 2015-02-12 12:47:02.

A brick chimney coming down!Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:10:13+00:00

Details, such as color, are so important

Here’s a view of the barn/home from the chimney side.

I’m really pleased with the colors that the client picked out. A homeowner with good tastes can really make a home “pop” (is that still a word people use?… lol). And a homeowner with poor tastes can ruin any home with the choices they make on the finish details (fortunately I’ve had very few who fit into this category).

Of all the features found on this profile of the house I think the stone arches are what really makes this home’s profile among my favorites.

Originally posted 2015-02-11 17:25:28.

Details, such as color, are so importantNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:10:12+00:00

Create both “awe inspiring” and “intimate” spaces

There is something majestic, awe inspiring, and jaw dropping, about standing in a barn/home frame. With huge beautiful beams and handcrafted joinery in every direction, and a view all the way to the peak of the roof… well… it can take your breath away.

I always try to incorporate some intimate spaces in a home like this, with lower ceilings to give them a more secure feeling… like the kitchen in the far corner, the combination dining/sitting room off to the left, and, in the bedroom area at the top of the stairs.

Originally posted 2015-02-11 17:03:15.

Create both “awe inspiring” and “intimate” spacesNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:10:11+00:00