Post by jsrose on Jan 30, 2013 19:58:47 GMT -5
OK, I've been AWOL for awhile, but I finally posted my five-years-in-the-making renovation of a 1942 Chambers B Silverlite, here: chamberscommune.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=maintenance&thread=2204&page=1.
As I mentioned in that thread, one of my many excuses for why it's taken so long is a cabin that my wife and I bought up in northern Michigan near Harbor Springs. So I thought I'd post a few pictures.
The cabin was built in 1933 as a summer home for a family out of the Detroit area, and it was one of the first built by local resort owner and builder, Chauncey Bliss.
If you Google "Blisswood Lodge" you'll see the lodge that he built and named Krude Kraft back in the '20s. It's still a work of art.
Chauncey was quite talented and ended up building 40 or so of these cabins. Most of them are still standing, with many of them still belonging to the original families.
And not only did he build the cabins, but he was also a furniture maker and blacksmith, so he made much of the furniture and metal work, too. He also passed his talents down to his son Monnie who carried the tradition on into the 70s.
One other thing about Chauncey's "log cabins." In Tennessee, and maybe elsewhere, we'd consider them to be "timber frame" homes as they're supported by a timber frame on a stone foundation with the walls being filled in by logs.
So since the logs don't actually support the structure, and they don't meet in the corners with dovetails or notches, I'm not sure that, technically, "log cabin" applies.
Either way, they're the work of a true craftsman.
We bought ours in 2010 from the family who had built it in 1933. Not only had they taken excellent care of it, but they did little in the way of changing the original floorplan.
Originally, the house had no bathrooms, it used an outhouse. And as the cabin was intended as a summer home its only heat source is the fireplace. And since northern Michigan rarely gets over 80 degrees in the summer, AC isn't necessary, either.
The whole cabin is 1200 sq ft. And the original owners had added two bathrooms and removed some walls.
Most of what we've done is to rejigger the upstairs floor plan by tearing out one of the added bathrooms and moving it, adding a 1/2 bath, then renovating the adjoining bedrooms, all within the original space and trying to stick to Chauncey's original design.
Oh yeah, there was also the stackable washer/dryer in the kitchen. We tucked that under the stairs to make room for our Chambers stove.
Anyway, enough of all that. Here are a few pictures. This summer's project will be the exterior, reglazing the windows, and taking the edge off the red and white paint colors. Then, next summer, I hope to move the stove and replace the kitchen counter tops.
We're learning that this is what you do when you buy an old cabin, you renovate it.
I'd love any suggestions. And sorry for the ramble.
Jack
Also sorry about the annoying photo credit. I guess it's a Flickr thing. Anyway, see what I mean about timber frame vs. log cabin? Many of Chauncey's later cabins used chestnut bark in the gables where he went with board and batten on ours.
IMG_1439 by jsrose, on Flickr
Living room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom downstairs. The reindeer came with the place.
DSC_3429 by jsrose, on Flickr
Looking from living area to dining area. Nice and open and compact.
IMG_1837 by jsrose, on Flickr
My dad built this swing modeled after one he saw at an inn on Cumberland Island, GA. He's built about 25 of them, now, for his friends. If you can find your way through all the pillows it makes a great bed.
IMG_1355 by jsrose, on Flickr
Chauncey was quite the metal worker. All his cabins incorporated these latches. Notice the rawhide latch string. That's how you lock the door, just pull in the latch string.
IMG_1454 by jsrose, on Flickr
This is the "new" master bedroom. The original owners had removed the wall behind the bed, but we didn't want to be quite that cozy with our guests, so now it's back.
DSC_3435 by jsrose, on Flickr
The back yard. This is why we're here.
DSC_3449 by jsrose, on Flickr
As I mentioned in that thread, one of my many excuses for why it's taken so long is a cabin that my wife and I bought up in northern Michigan near Harbor Springs. So I thought I'd post a few pictures.
The cabin was built in 1933 as a summer home for a family out of the Detroit area, and it was one of the first built by local resort owner and builder, Chauncey Bliss.
If you Google "Blisswood Lodge" you'll see the lodge that he built and named Krude Kraft back in the '20s. It's still a work of art.
Chauncey was quite talented and ended up building 40 or so of these cabins. Most of them are still standing, with many of them still belonging to the original families.
And not only did he build the cabins, but he was also a furniture maker and blacksmith, so he made much of the furniture and metal work, too. He also passed his talents down to his son Monnie who carried the tradition on into the 70s.
One other thing about Chauncey's "log cabins." In Tennessee, and maybe elsewhere, we'd consider them to be "timber frame" homes as they're supported by a timber frame on a stone foundation with the walls being filled in by logs.
So since the logs don't actually support the structure, and they don't meet in the corners with dovetails or notches, I'm not sure that, technically, "log cabin" applies.
Either way, they're the work of a true craftsman.
We bought ours in 2010 from the family who had built it in 1933. Not only had they taken excellent care of it, but they did little in the way of changing the original floorplan.
Originally, the house had no bathrooms, it used an outhouse. And as the cabin was intended as a summer home its only heat source is the fireplace. And since northern Michigan rarely gets over 80 degrees in the summer, AC isn't necessary, either.
The whole cabin is 1200 sq ft. And the original owners had added two bathrooms and removed some walls.
Most of what we've done is to rejigger the upstairs floor plan by tearing out one of the added bathrooms and moving it, adding a 1/2 bath, then renovating the adjoining bedrooms, all within the original space and trying to stick to Chauncey's original design.
Oh yeah, there was also the stackable washer/dryer in the kitchen. We tucked that under the stairs to make room for our Chambers stove.
Anyway, enough of all that. Here are a few pictures. This summer's project will be the exterior, reglazing the windows, and taking the edge off the red and white paint colors. Then, next summer, I hope to move the stove and replace the kitchen counter tops.
We're learning that this is what you do when you buy an old cabin, you renovate it.
I'd love any suggestions. And sorry for the ramble.
Jack
Also sorry about the annoying photo credit. I guess it's a Flickr thing. Anyway, see what I mean about timber frame vs. log cabin? Many of Chauncey's later cabins used chestnut bark in the gables where he went with board and batten on ours.
IMG_1439 by jsrose, on Flickr
Living room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom downstairs. The reindeer came with the place.
DSC_3429 by jsrose, on Flickr
Looking from living area to dining area. Nice and open and compact.
IMG_1837 by jsrose, on Flickr
My dad built this swing modeled after one he saw at an inn on Cumberland Island, GA. He's built about 25 of them, now, for his friends. If you can find your way through all the pillows it makes a great bed.
IMG_1355 by jsrose, on Flickr
Chauncey was quite the metal worker. All his cabins incorporated these latches. Notice the rawhide latch string. That's how you lock the door, just pull in the latch string.
IMG_1454 by jsrose, on Flickr
This is the "new" master bedroom. The original owners had removed the wall behind the bed, but we didn't want to be quite that cozy with our guests, so now it's back.
DSC_3435 by jsrose, on Flickr
The back yard. This is why we're here.
DSC_3449 by jsrose, on Flickr