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…

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

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.

Whenever I build a log home I always have the stone masons build the corners first… for several reasons.

The first reason is that at the beginning phase of any stone project is the period when you have the best selection of stones. As a stone pile gets lower, the pickings become more challenging to lay. You will find that you are left with more “bowling balls” than “shoeboxes” (it is only human nature to pick the best stone you can find after each visit to the pile). You want the best stones used on your corners, for strength and beauty.

Originally posted 2015-02-08 15:50:31.

Hi, my name is Noah Bradley and I am an “archoholic”. I can’t help myself, I love the things… I can’t get enough of them.

Wouldn’t you agree that a log bedroom just HAS to have a stone fireplace and that having an arched one would make it perfect? That’s what we built for this cabin.

I find vintage stone arches all over Virginia, and beyond. Masons didn’t stop using them in the Roman times, they were a part of American history. Arches are not just for the wealthy, or for elaborate Cathedrals, but for anyone who desires to build something that not only looks great, but lasts for centuries.

Originally posted 2015-02-07 15:02:40.

Here’s a photo of the angle-cut course of stone made in order to create a wider base for the stone chimney that is to come. It’s a really nice touch to add to any chimney.

I’ve never read why the masons of old added this feature on the finer chimneys of that era, but I would imagine it was a way to further strengthen and stabilize these monuments.. and that is what a well-built chimney is, a monument. A chimney often stands long after a home is gone.

Folks back then paid more attention to nature than we do today and Incorporated those observations into their homes. Take a look at the tallest living structures that you encounter on a daily basis… trees. Notice how they flare out at the base?

It’s little details like this that will bring joy to you and for the generations to come. This handcrafted detail is right down there near the ground and is something that catches your eye every time you walk by it. New visitors always comment about it and often go over to touch it.

But it’s not without cost, it takes effort for you to get it in your plans, it takes extra materials, but most of all it’s about extra labor, it takes a mason days and days, with a hammer and chisel in hand, to create it. There is nothing like breaking the budget on day one… but IT”S WORTH IT !

Originally posted 2015-02-06 17:15:07.

Here’s the side profile of the Middle River house… this is where you park your car and enter the home. The front section features a stone chimney placed so that you can enjoy it’s beauty every day when you arrive home. Solid stone chimneys, built well, are not inexpensive so when you design a home make sure you place the chimney in a location where you will see it when you approach the home and park. You don’t want to hide something like this from view.

The section to the right is built using standard framing techniques (fast and easy) and where you will find two bedroom/ two bathrooms, one stacked over the other.

The section of the house behind the chimney is timber-framed using wood that we harvested locally and then cut and assembled. (That’s about as green of a construction as you can get!) This area with a cathedral ceiling serves as a kitchen and living area and connects to the front porch… all offering tremendous views.

Originally posted 2015-02-03 13:56:20.

One of the stone arched window openings in the “undecagon”. In my eyes, it’s as good as it gets… elegant, wonderfully made, with a great deal of physical effort, and it will be there for all to enjoy… for centuries, if not millennia to come.

I encourage everyone to leave behind a legacy when they work or build, whether that is a quilt, a table, or a home.

Originally posted 2015-01-30 15:32:53.

It’s an “Undecagon”… an eleven sided object. Built of solid stone, near the top of a mountain, and under construction in this photo. Notice the arched doorway, and there are two arched windows. I think the most impressive detail are all the cornerstones, each cut by hand and chisel to create a 127 degree angle corner (inside and out).

Originally posted 2015-01-29 15:40:38.

We restored this Middleburg area stone home a few years ago. Vintage mid-1800’s, the home was built by a traveling crew of stone home builders and was put together in a remarkable two weeks!

And you could tell it… the house was a mess. The builders clearly gave a fixed bid on the project and put it together as quickly and cheaply as possible. They likely used some kind of slip form method where the outside rocks were laid with a good face showing and then the rest of the thickness of the wall was poured in ruble held together with a lime mix and a plastered interior surface. Once the roof was neglected and the rain started getting to the outside walls she just started to crumble down.

Originally posted 2015-01-16 15:11:30.

I have never built a home without at least one good masonry chimney. Often, it’s been more than one.
Let me be clear I’m not talking about those prefab kits that are so often found in most new homes, you know, the ones that are “installed” by a technician with a screwdriver and a set of instructions written in multiple languages. That process continues with a carpenter building the chimney out of plywood. Yes, a carpenter builds the chimney… with plywood. How wrong is that? If the house is a luxury home then a mason is brought in to cover up some of the plywood with a veneer to give the appearance that the home owner has a real chimney. Oh my.
How often have I driven the roads of this great State, and those of our neighboring states, and have seen a sole chimney standing in a field as a testament to a home that has long ago been lost to the ages? Perhaps I should have written “soul chimney” as the chimney is the soul of a home, the heart, the focus of a home… or at least it should be.
I’ve often made the comment that a log cabin, or any home for that matter, without a fireplace is like a canoe with a paddle. It is an essential component of the experience of being home. A fireplace unites a family with its warm glow and crackling sounds of a well tended fire. There is no greater source of entertainment… it much better than any electronic device. Gazing at a fire can be a soul searching experience, just watch your stress and worries wash away as you sit in front of a fire!
Of course, let’s not forget the warmth that a fireplace gives out, and the feeling of control and security that one feels when they have no fear of the cold regardless of what ill winds blow in this uncertain world.
Well, it’s time for me to go throw another log onto the fire. (the fireplace is calling)
One final thought… it was Henry David Thoreau that stated a fire warms you twice, once in the cutting of the wood and once in its burning. Keeping a fire is good source of healthy exercise.
So please, enjoy your fireplace. Count your blessings. And if you are contemplating building a home in the near future make sure and build a quality masonry chimney. Hire an artistic mason, one that will build a fireplace that will throw out heat… and make sure and have him build a beautiful fireplace, one that will be focal point of your home. I’ll expand upon this topic in the future with more details of features to look for in having a good fireplace/chimney.

Originally posted 2015-01-08 17:51:30.