Moriah… part 29

Moriah7.05-038

Ok… I’m about ready to wrap up this project. I will post a couple of finished exterior shots of the house, later today or perhaps tomorrow, and then I’ll move onto another project.

I’ve got a great post and beam house that I’d like to share… there’s not a lot of finished inside photos but some really cool assembly images.

Here are three images of Moriah “going up”.

Moriah7.05-058

In looking at them I feel exhausted and overwhelmed at what I accomplished. For someone who specializes in little log cabins, this was a major undertaking, one that no other builder in this area would have done. (probably because they have more sense than I do) lol

Moriah12.06-04

Originally posted 2015-04-08 14:10:04.

Moriah… part 292019-06-29T10:13:33+00:00

Moriah… part 28

Dsc00361

Here are three photos of the staircase at Moriah (sorry about the exaggerated redness in the photos)

DSC00305

DSC00356

Also, here is one photo of the original staircase as it once was.

Scan10026

For some unknown reason, the house’s original architect located the staircase in a side room of the house and in there it took up the entire room below, and above, with it’s vaulted views. It was “dramatic”, for sure, but yet odd in a way… a staircase room?

I put that space to what I felt was better use. I moved that staircase out of that end of the house, and on the first floor of that area I was able to create an office space, a bathroom, and a large closet, all of which could be alternatively used as another first floor master bedroom if ever desired. And upstairs, I created a very large bedroom with a bath.

I then built a new staircase in the entry hall/ foyer where it would be enjoyed by all who visited the home. I really like how the staircase goes up to greet one of the massive ceiling beams. And, I like the nearly invisible railing that is attached to the wall… it was salvaged from a home that Walt Whitman stayed in for a few years (if I’m ever suffering from writer’s block I go grab onto it for a while 😉

Originally posted 2015-04-08 13:49:05.

Moriah… part 282019-06-29T10:13:32+00:00

Moriah… part 27

DSC00273

I added a seat to the large family-room window assembly.

The way the house was originally built this was an area where you would stand and enjoy the surrounding countryside with a bit of panoramic view. I thought that a seat here would make the space more inviting and cozy. And, as an added bonus, the addition of drawers below this seat created treasured built-in storage space.

All the doors and windows seen in this photo were custom-made out of heart-pine, by the original builder. Notice also the huge ceiling beams in this room… all salvaged from an old cotton mill out of the Shenandoah Valley.

Originally posted 2015-04-07 13:13:41.

Moriah… part 272019-06-29T10:13:31+00:00

Moriah… part 26

DSC00343

I found a replacement door for Moriah on eBay… yes… you can buy anything on eBay. lol… (I once bought a log cabin off of there… but you need to know what you are doing if you go that route).

This door unit came off of an old farmhouse in Ohio. Fortunately, one of the men on my crew was from that part of the state, so I gave him gas money to go visit his parents for the weekend and he brought back this door when he returned.

This antique door unit did need some restoration work, but even with that factored in, I believe it was a smart purchase. It has brought a lot of light into this house and is a constant source of compliments.

DSCN5839

Originally posted 2015-04-07 12:49:59.

Moriah… part 262019-06-29T10:13:30+00:00

Moriah… part 25

Scan10055

I did not reuse Moriah’s original front door.

It was one of the greatest struggles for me in rebuilding this house. After all, what gave me the right to change something so key to a home as it’s front door? Some people say that a home’s front door is the defining element of the entire home.

I would never, ever, think of changing out an original door on any house built earlier than the 20th century.

The fact was, I liked Moriah’s original door. It was massive, and presented the visitor with a display of antique wood which told guests what they could expect upon entering the home. And to top it off, the door had a massive box lock complete with a brass knob… nice.

But the lock didn’t work well anymore, it had seen it’s better days. And, the door was showing signs of aging. Upon closer look I could see that it was made by “gluing and screwing” old wood to a plywood core panel. No fine craftsmanship there.

And, the diagonal pattern of the wood to me shouted 1970’s. For those who remember that era, they will recall that diagonal paneling was all the rage back then. What basement could be found without it? Let’s all sing the theme song from the Brady Bunch!

The deciding factor that sealed the decision to replace this door was that I desperately needed light to come in through the front door into the entry hall. I needed a front door with class… and with glass.

So, I went shopping for the perfect antique door for a replacement…

Originally posted 2015-04-07 12:48:09.

Moriah… part 252019-06-29T10:13:29+00:00

Moriah… part 24

DSC00319

It’s just a hallway,

but it’s a special hallway.

And the glass wall, is what makes it so special.

DSC00314

Like no other place in the home, this area brings the outside, in. Thanks to this room there is never any doubt as to what season it is, or what the weather is like, or what phase the Moon is in.

This hallway spans the distance from the main section of the house to the back master bedroom, completely separating the two.

DSC00320

Of all the windows in the house for a forklift to crash through while we were taking the house down this would have to be the one. I can still see the look on that young man’s face when he told me about it. Just another memory.

Originally posted 2015-04-06 22:22:20.

Moriah… part 242019-06-29T10:13:28+00:00

Moriah… part 23

DSC00367

Here’s the log cabin bedroom at Moriah that was created by eliminating the cathedral ceiling in the room below.

I made a wood mantlepiece out of vintage pine, similar to the one found in the log dining room downstairs. This mantle I sized to accent the gas stove that we bought to install here.

I generally discourage clients from having a gas stove, feeling that a wood fireplace is essential to obtaining the full potential of enjoyment that one can have in a log cabin.

But in the floors below this bedroom, here at Moriah, are found two woodburning fireplaces and one woodstove (that’s enough fires for anyone to feed).

I felt it would be a rare event when wood would be hauled all the way up to this bedroom in order to enjoy a fire.

A flickering fire in a bedroom is a wonderful thing to experience. Even if it’s gas.

And on the other hand, a fireplace that is never used is a shameful thing to see.

It was a good call to take this path. When it is cold outside and I am in this room, a fire is burning. Both attractive and functional. We have enjoyed this gas stove greatly.

Please take note of the painted flooring seen in this room. I bought new 2by6 pine lumber for the flooring here and painted the bottoms of that material in order to brighten the room below. I then painted the top of the installed flooring with three coats of durable floor paint.

I really like painted wood floors.

And, my feet… love… painted floors… oh, so comfy.

For years I have tried to encourage clients to have a room with a painted floor, and never once have I succeeded. Here, on this project, where I was in charge… I got to finally paint a floor… and everyone that sees it… loves it.

Originally posted 2015-04-06 21:39:46.

Moriah… part 232019-06-29T10:13:27+00:00

Moriah… part 22

house222

Here’s a photo of Moriah taken shortly after she had been reassembled. The exterior is finished, but she still is grey in color. She sat here in her new location and appeared to be brooding… waiting to be painted something more lively in color.

Originally posted 2015-04-06 14:52:36.

Moriah… part 222019-06-29T10:13:26+00:00

Moriah… part 21

Scan10035

“The pro’s and con’s of having a two-story cathedral loft in an old log cabin”…

hmmm…

let’s talk about that…

Moriah, as she was built in the 1970’s had half of her second floor removed to “create a dramatic open feel”.

And, I bear witness to the fact that it was indeed, dramatic. No doubt about it.

But by doing this, by bringing in an area of drama, that any feeling of intimacy… or security was lost from this cabin.

I felt more “in awe” in this space, than I felt… “at home”.

It was sort of like the feeling that I get when I enter a large barn. Often I feel overwhelmed in those structures with all that is laid out before me.

Scan10036

Now both feelings are wonderful to have, and I build both kind of structures, so clearly I like them both… but which feeling did I want in this log room?

Maybe a better question to ask is… which feeling should a log cabin provide?

I prefer living in a blended house, one that features a variety of rooms, with at least one of those rooms providing me a place of serenity and security, and a log cabin does a great job at providing me with just that. I also like having another area of the house that will inspire awe, and there are many options that can create that type of emotion.

Scan10032

Over the years I believe that half of the clients who have sat down with me to imagine their dream log cabin have had in their minds some kind of loft envisioned in that future home.

To this day I have yet to build a log cabin with a loft… maybe one day I will… but, so far none. I think that my line of reasoning, about the “feel”, plays a part in clients not moving ahead with having a loft, but generally the deciding factor is the reality of the loss of all that usable square footage.

The second floor loft area in the old Moriah was pretty useless… folks would walk into the second floor loft area, look down, say “wow!” and then leave the room.

And then downstairs I observed that no one would ever stand around the fireplace… it felt awkward… like something was going to fall on one’s head from above. And, for some reason, the chimney didn’t draw very well, probably because of this open ceiling concept.

00002485

So, when I rebuilt Moriah I put an end to this cathedral space here in the log cabin. And by doing so, I created an intimate dining room (that I have already shared with you) and a completely new bedroom above…. a log cabin bedroom.

Can you imagine… that the first owners of Moriah gave up having a log cabin bedroom, just so that they could have a space where guests would say… “wow”.

We are all different aren’t we?

But for me, I’ll take the log bedroom thank you very much. I think having a log cabin bedroom ranks right up there in the top ten most wonderful things to have in this life.

Here are four photos of original loft area… coming up next will be photos of the log bedroom that was created.

Originally posted 2015-04-06 14:37:21.

Moriah… part 212019-06-29T10:13:25+00:00

Moriah… part 19

Scan10043

Finally, I’ll close today with this fancy little bit of woodworking that those hippy craftsmen made on a door here at Moriah back in the 1970’s.

Originally posted 2015-04-05 15:20:52.

Moriah… part 192019-06-29T10:13:24+00:00
Go to Top