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Captured In Time

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Design

Captured In Time

Builder Gretchen Yahn so skillfully recreated the rural character of a French country home in this 6838-square-foot masterpiece, that, from the outside, it literally appears to have existed on its site in the Virginia hills for centuries.


August 31, 1999
This article first appeared in the CB September 1999 issue of Custom Builder.

Builder Gretchen Yahn so skillfully recreated the rural character of a French country home in this 6838-square-foot masterpiece, that, from the outside, it literally appears to have existed on its site in the Virginia hills for centuries.

 

Crowned by a custom copper roof, this home’s exterior finish features a blend of tinted stucco and simulated dry stack stone which gives it an aged appearance. The home spans over 180 feet in length.

“The client wanted a home that looked old — like it had been there for years,” says Yahn. She obliged, using a combination of stone, tinted stucco and reclaimed timbers to create a brand new residence with an aged appearance.

The interior of the multi-level home retains a timeless ambiance while suiting the owners’ diverse tastes and collections. Reclaimed lumber, including white oak, chestnut and hemlock, deeply stained wood floors, highly-detailed millwork and reproduction fixtures are used extensively throughout the interior to maintain the style.

The foyer features an impressive stone wall and a sweeping wrought-iron staircase that gives the entry the look of a villa, says Yahn. At the top, French doors open into the sole occupant of the upper level — the master suite — complete with its own luxurious bath and private balcony.

 

Everything in this Virginia home,from the rich-hued hardwood floors to the ornate crown molding shown here in the music room, works in concert to create a new home with time-worn appeal.

A semi-circular gallery connects the kitchen/breakfast area with the home’s guest wing, which includes two secondary bedrooms, as well as the laundry and mud rooms. A circular stone terrace features a central post which anchors a series of reclaimed timber spokes that extend into the interior gallery.

The home features coffered ceilings with an average height of 13 feet. Located on a 160-acre estate west of Arlington, Va., the home is positioned on the site to make the most of the sweeping panoramas offered by the rolling foothills of the Shenandoah Mountains. A man-made lake on the site provides a home to two adopted swans.

 

Everything in this Virginia home,from the rich-hued hardwood floors to the ornate crown molding shown here in the music room, works in concert to create a new home with time-worn appeal.

The home was completed in April 1998. Hard construction costs were $263 per square foot. Yahn has an interesting construction tale to tell about this home. The newly constructed house was located on a site that had been occupied by an estate, which had burned down in 1898. “We had no floor plan of the original house, but in the midst of our excavation for the new kitchen, we unearthed pots, pans and utensils. The new kitchen was directly above where the first one had been!”

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