The Springhouse Renovation #6: The House Is Taking Shape

The majority of the framing is complete and we can really start to see our vision for The Springhouse taking shape! The dormered second story of the old side of the house is still underway, but will be finished in no time. New construction is so much faster and straight-forward than demo, especially the careful demo that was necessary on this house.

*The house is looking more and more like the renderings.*

*A crane lifts the roof trusses into place.*

*The attic will be accessible with a set of pull-down stairs. With a height of over 6′ in the center, it provides a good storage solution.*

Design Focus: The Balcony

The balcony on the front of the house is a defining design feature of The Springhouse. This is where the log will be exposed on the exterior of the house. As you may remember from Post #1 of The Springhouse Project, the house was divided into two living quarters prior to our renovation. At that time, the balcony was a porch and front entrance to one of the living quarters.

*The old porch which will become a balcony.*

Since the house is now a single family home, I did not want two front entrances. I honestly can’t stand it when a house does not have a clear point of entry. Have you ever gone up to a house and you weren’t sure which door you should choose? I would bet you have seen this because it is quite common!

Stairs Or No Stairs

The front entrance to The Springhouse is centered on the new part of the house. However, the old log side of the house also has a porch roof and a door opening that faces the front of the house. In order to clear up any confusion about which door to enter, we decided to make the old porch into a covered balcony with no stairs leading down. At one point we considered adding a set of stairs leading into the side yard, but decided the house would have a cleaner look by eliminating the stairs and just keeping it as a balcony. Besides, stairs could always be added later is someone wanted them.

The balcony is quite spacious and will be a great place to relax and entertain! The roof will help to preserve the condition of the logs which have not been uncovered for many, many years!

*It will be a sizable outdoor living area just off of the living room.*

*The house will have a clearly-defined front entryway for visitors.*

What’s Next on The Springhouse Project?

Decisions, decisions! With construction moving along quickly now, there are a few time-sensitive decisions to be made including any final floorplan adjustments. Next time, I will share a few changes to the closet configurations on the second floor. We will also be choosing brick for the chimney and selecting roofing shingles. This is only the beginning of the innumerable decisions that will need to be made soon including fixtures, finishes, electrical placement, and so on. I will share more about this as the project moves along. Until next time!