It was late spring or early summer when
Hank Wall and I got together at the Caribou Coffee off Duraleigh Road in Raleigh. When it comes to residential construction and renovation, Hanks as creative and practical as they come. But beware, a lunch of a sandwich and cup of coffee with Hank can cost as much as $1,500. But that's another story.
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| 06-02-2014 |
Hank had kindly agreed to look at the plans for the Bath house, make any suggestions and see if Nancy and I had missed anything. Since getting the project going, it was the most important and effective 90 minutes I'd spend. Going over the notes I took that day, his advice about materials, doors, tile, flooring, windows, siding and more added to the quality and value of choices we'd make throughout the project.
One comment Hank made, almost in passing, came as we talked about ways to give the house some individual identity -- personality. He suggested getting some wood, perhaps some old lumber that had been salvaged from the bottom of the Cape Fear River, and do some creative paneling with it. The more I thought
Sarah Susanka's "Creating the Not So Big House." Sarah's
"Not So Big" movement is one of those ideas that is at once so head-thumping obvious and astonishing original. Simple ideas and basic materials in the hands of folks like Sarah can elevate the creativity of even the most mediocre among us. The use of wood in many of the examples illustrated in her book drove Hank's idea home.
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| 07-05-2014 |
about it, the more it seems like an obvious opportunity. And it was reinforced by a book Hank gave me,
Thus, the idea of taking the kitchen bar -- that works to separate the living and dining rooms from the kitchen but still give the spaces an open feeling -- started to stir. I searched out Chris Metz of
Old Growth Riverwood in Wilmington, N.C. He offered me a great deal on some 300-year-old lumber left over from a flooring project.
The photos on this page give you a look at the project's evolution. What do you think?
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| 08-30-2014 |
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| 10-11-2014 |
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| 11-02-2014 |
Hello. I don't remember if we exchanged emails or not, so I'm lamely posting here. I've accepted a job at NC State Univ. and just wanted to see how you are doing.
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