Jan
30
Your Questions for Knickerbocker Group
It’s that time again. Post your Blog Cabin 2012 questions and we will select the very best queries and pose them to Knickerbocker Group’s architectural designer Kimberly Tuttle and construction manager Marcus Golding. A follow-up Q&A article will be posted in the weeks to come.
Deadline to post your questions is Friday, February 3, 2012, at 5 p.m. ET.
Ready, set … go!
Could you please explain the rationale behind sliding glass doors which seem to be universally disliked? Thanks!
I agree. I have a set of triple sliding glass doors and hate them. Since I am in Florida, I do understand the desire to open up the house to the outside, but everyone where I live usually keeps them closed and covered in an attempt to keep the heat outside. Not to mention having to have bars in the tracks to try to keep intruders out, since their locks are so easy to "pop". In Maine, the problem will be keeping the cold out. I grew up in a 1920 home with multiple sets of french doors with upper windows that opened up to the porches. I think this would be a better solution to the cabin than modern sliding doors.
Let is just say people all over America spend good money to get rid of their sliding glass doors for french doors. Changing out sliding glass doors are almost always the first home project people do to upgrade their homes.
Completely dissagre with you. Sliding doors are space saving, allowing for efficient furnature placement and can be partially opened for fresh air movement. Unlike " French Doors", whose "swing to open", are obstuctive, create a dead space and passage restrictive.
How do you plan on getting more light into the upper floors?
Why was a stainless steel backsplash one of the options?
EDIT
I have to ask- are we really thought of as "crazy, cyberstalkers"?
Will there be any other openings for sunlight (skylights, windows or dormers) in the Family room or are you relying on a single large window on the south end for all natural light in that room?
Have the items shown in the images on the right panel above (light fitting, key hole and doorknob, & what looks like a newel post) been salvaged for re-use in the renovated house?
What are the green/energy saving items that will be going into the home?
Originally this house had several working fireplaces. It appears from the floor plans that you intend to have only a gas stove and no fireplaces in the BC. What was your reason for eliminating all fireplaces and will the mantels from the original construction be repurposed?
Actually, there was only ever one fireplace and that was added on to mthe house in the 1980's. Before that there were no fireplaces in the house.The original heating was wood burning stoves. Forced air was added in the latter part of the last milennium (you can see the furnace in the basement photos) as were baseboard heaters. It's all explained in the 'before' photos.
You're right. I went back and checked. There was only one fireplace in the house and it was a very recent add-on, not original. Who said there were a lot of fireplaces?
It had 4 chimneys, so it looked like it had a bunch of fireplaces, when really only one was
They have never worked on out buildings (except to remove them) or basements yet.
With all of the downed trees that a property of this size will provide and require maintenance of it would seem more logical to keep a wood burning stove as a means to dispose of the dead trees naturally as opposed to using any type of man provided gas. It fits a farm house much better then the now popular gas stoves which are selected more for show and less work they provide. With a large farm property things like this need to serve a good purpose. Being able to provide heat and a means of cooking if there is a natural disaster of any sort using wood that provides itself from the property would make more sense. Also, is there any plan for solar power options? It would be really nice to see a more self sufficient home during tough economic times with the ever rising energy costs…Thank you!
I was also disappointed to see the fireplace taken out! I don't get the infatuation with gas stoves nowadays. I lived in a house with a gas stove once and it barely heated the room and always smelled like propane. Maybe it wasn't working properly… hopefully this one will be much more efficient. I just think to preserve the character of a house like this, a wood-burning feature would have been a much better option.
Do you have ANY plans to do some work on the beautiful barn?
That was going to be my question !!!!
I hope not I could see some great barn dances on the floor!
I think its a good place to park your cars. I hate clearing the snow off them
I hope not also; it will be the only structure with its charm and integrity left intact !! Please leave the barn alone !!
I think it would be nice if it got a new paint job though…;)
Really, the paint on the barn doesn't look bad at all. I drive past it daily and NEVER thought "Wow, they better paint that ! Almost every visible barn on this road is "Barn red" at this one is in better shape than most.
I pray nightly they leave the barn alone except maybe for placing some much needed lighting in the rafters.
I saw in a hometown newsletter while searching out information about Dutch Neck Road, the barn, not long ago was given a new roof and a fresh coat of red paint and the boards and beams are like new and in great condition for their age. Hay barns are known for lasting a long time and not needing a lot of upkeep.
I want to sell apples in that barn! The barn does have quite a bit of historic value.
I love the idea of using the barn to sell apples, it could easily be a "farmers market" location. I was hoping that they didn't tear down the old barn attached to the house, I wanted to renovate it for my Encaustic art studio….but alas it's gone.
That barn was in VERY bad shape. It was beyond renovation according to people I know who were in it.
Yes that is what I want to do if I win is to grow antique apple in Maine in my old age and I also wanted the old small barn behind the house to turn into a green house and as a shed to store all my gardening needs in.
The small barn may had been in a sad state of repair but they could had left the stone floor (which was grandfathered) so you could rebuild on it. Now that it is all gone the code compliance will not allow for anything to be built there… So I am told. Someone from the K group should had known this. But it seems they did not check to see about the Grandfather laws in Maine?
Where do you think we are going to park the John Deere tractor that will be needed to mow all the grass? It may be a retreat, however, lots of equipment will be needed to support the property…including a snowblower. Owning a hobby farm…one aquires lots of stuff and a barn is a necessity especially when there is no garage or carport at the home.
Are there any plans for any work being done in the basement? Any kind of finishing off of walls…
That would be especially nice, especially if basement were also roughed in for toilet, sink and shower, at least, if not tub too… Unless you already plan to finish off the basement–which would be fantabulous!!! Thank you!!! B)^_^xD:p<3 Kitty
Has there been any discussions concerning the possibility of adding a wood burning fireplace? Please?
I hope you are all staying relatively warm. Thank you for all the work you are doing on the BC 2012.
I vote every day, but:
how, where and when do I enter the competition to win the Blog Cabin 2012!
It doesn't start until August 13. And there will be plenty of notice here!