Now that is one nice picket fence.

Of course, what’s behind it is not bad either.

I was once told by a photographer that “any builder can build a home that has a view… but few know how to build a home that is part of the view”.

Keep that in mind when building your home.

Originally posted 2015-09-06 13:55:38.

A sweet little house that is filled to the brim with elaborate detailing, all of which are in great need of some tender loving care.
I can see from the variances in the shading of the siding on the front of the house that there was once a porch roof that spanned this front entry. Can you imagine the ornate posts and detailed railings that were once on this intimate treasure?
Is this where the grandparents spent their final years, out back of the main house?

And then we have this home, with no ornamentation at all. Gorgeous.

Both homes are very attractive in their own right… but which is your preference?

Originally posted 2015-09-03 14:12:44.

I have a dear friend who purchased a new home a few years ago complete with a front porch. But, for some reason (likely money savings), the architect and builder made the porch only four feet wide.  A porch this narrow is wide enough to put furniture across it, and allow people to squeeze in there with barely enough leg room to not touch the railing. Go figure.

I have found the ideal size of a porch to be eight feet. Any larger and the porch often overwhelms the house (unless it is a large home), and any smaller and it’s just not practical.

Originally posted 2015-08-29 13:28:18.

Many cities have stone buildings built prior to 1920’s and this is what the team of men and animals would have looked like that helped build them.

My great grandfather was one of the masons who helped build the Old City Hall in Richmond, Virginia. I never met the man but I can’t help think of him whenever I drive past his legacy.

One of the greatest gifts that comes with making something durable, handmade, and attractive is that a legacy is created. By building a nice cabin, or a stone wall, or putting together a patchwork quilt we have left something for future generations to enjoy, and to remember us by.

Originally posted 2015-08-25 13:25:56.

Here’s a nice look for those seeking to build a cottage near the beach. The exposed framed walls are built using new lumber, that is then backed with siding, and to finish it is all then painted.

A layer of insulated panels is next applied to the exterior and then finished siding is applied.

Likely a bit more expensive than standard construction, but the finished result has so much more character don’t you think?

Originally posted 2015-08-17 12:43:17.

We’ve lost a treasured feature in the homes being built today… the attic.

Roof trusses have made our homes cheaper and faster to build.  I question their durability and longevity but one thing can’t be debated we have lost a tremendous amount of usable space within our homes…. a treasured space.

Originally posted 2015-08-16 22:43:12.

I’d be hard pressed to come up with a more attractive design for an outbuilding where one can practice their craft out back… complete with a fireplace!

This sketch of a Forge Barn above is within Sloane’s book “American Barns and Bridges”.

When I look at these drawings above and below by Eric Sloane that he made of existing historic outbuildings I am overwhelmed at the variety and the beauty of these structures.

How is it that we lost this ability put up something attractive in your back yards?

I don’t know about you but I’d like to have one of each! I used to tell people that I was going to have a bumper sticker made that read… “He who dies with the greatest number of outbuildings wins” lol

Here’s an outbuilding that I once built that was inspired by one of these drawings.

These sketches of are within Sloane’s book “Our Vanishing Landscape” which is one the books on my recommended reading list that I offered a few weeks ago. I’d like to share a few more of Sloane’s sketches with you in the coming day or two… I think you’ll enjoy them.

BTW… I have four duplicate copies of four different books of Sloane’s (one that is out of print) that I’m giving away to four different people that sign up by Monday. I’m going to do a random drawing of those on the list… I’ll shoot the winners an email and ask for an address. (The sign up button is at the top of my FB page or on my blog handmadehouses.com OR… if you get my free list of the books I recommend reading you will be automatically signed up. Oh… one last thing… those that signed up to get the free guide prior to this last weekend, there was a technical issue… you did receive your guide, but you weren’t signed up… sorry about that… please, try again, thanks… I’m afraid that I am a much better builder than I am a techie. Noah

Originally posted 2015-08-06 13:47:19.

Isn’t this a precious Sugar House”?
Whenever I view an attractive building I ask myself… “What makes it so?”

There are some lessons to be learned upon careful examination of this wonderful pen and ink drawing by Eric Sloane. The author/artist lays the answer out there for us, so plain, simple, and easy to understand.

Originally posted 2015-08-06 13:17:28.

There is no better feeling than that felt at the end of the week in seeing what has been accomplished.

Originally posted 2015-07-18 18:40:04.

The architect for this home struggled with the challenge of adding a barn to an existing home… in not overwhelming the house, yet meeting the client’s vision. She was concerned in what size barn I may be able to find.

I fully understood her concern.

I freed her of the limitations of the dimensions of an existing barn by assuring her that I could adapt antique barn timbers to whatever barn dimensions she felt was most appropriate for this home.

Here is a photo of that barn addition, per the architects design, assembled by my crew. I’d like to share with you over the next couple of days the construction of this barn addition… I think you’ll enjoy the process. 🙂

Originally posted 2015-07-18 12:43:26.