Architect: Oakbridge Timber Framing
Square Footage: 4,800
Location: Central, Ohio
Year Built: 2013
Like many people who are lucky enough to come across land to build a home on, we saw our property as a blank canvas for us to dream and create a get-away. In fact we call our place V-get-away. V for Verhoff.
With the home site nestled in the woods and not visible from the road and really not until you make the last bend of our 1/3 mile drive, the seclusion and surprise it offered made for a perfect place for us to build.
After a great deal of searching various timber frame and log cabins plans online and in magazines, we found a layout we knew we could make our own.
Owning the property for about 1 and 1/2 years before building allowed us to survey the land and various home options. I spent time in a couple different tree stands both morning and evening and paid very close attention to the sunrise and sunset.
We took advantage of the seasonal variations and placed the home in an East – West orientation to take full advantage of the suns passing. We also are on the peak of a slight ridge which provides advantages to the daily sun parade. Monica and I wanted a home that welcomed all and made gathering, entertaining and clean up easy.
The open center section with the exposed timbers and abundance of wood products provided this and more. The large kitchen, custom cabinets, island with built in range and other key features makes this room the best for gatherings, large and small.
A late addition to the home was a loft above the 2 guest bedrooms. This space is the best for all things needed for grandchildren including books, painting, swings, games and more.
As you can see from the pictures the front porch is grand and with the house elevated about 3-4 foot above grade the large timbers, the concrete patio and large fireplace create a welcome mat that cannot be missed.
The interior fireplace is a vent-less gas addition that adds comfort, warmth and a nice visual effect without the dust of a real fire. The barely visible octagon room on the northwest corner of the house is a nice surprise when discovered from inside or out.
This NO TECH room is the perfect place to relax at days end or to reflect on the day to come. The custom made stained glass pulls in celestial pieces adding to the great views from all sides of the room. We also wanted the master suite to be a place for retreat.
The over sized shower with many water features is the best. The double doors in our Master Suite opens to a covered area at the front of the house and onto the main front porch providing a perfect place for morning coffee as the sun comes up.
Making the house efficient was also very important. The SIPS panels created the tightly sealed envelope. These coupled with the water furnace Geo-thermal system made for an efficient home from an HVAC standpoint. I would love to add solar panels at some point.
A robust landscape package with many natural materials continues the look we were after of making the house blend in with the surroundings and offer the comfort of nature. We added the Zen Garden and dry river bed last summer. These features give us another out of the ordinary place to relax.
The landscape all around the home is highlighted in the late evening and early morning with a full compliment of LED light fixtures. The lighting package really accents our home nicely.
Our home has a full basement which will meet the needs for expansion ideas as our next generation grows and makes their way out on a regular basis.
The ultimate compliment came this last fall when our son and daughter-in-law used our setting for their wedding. On our daughter-in-laws first visit she immediately asked to have their wedding here so every time they come out they can relive what turned out to be a fabulous day in every way.
