Don't fence me in

Its a bummer but we are in a holding pattern. Fence line disputes with the neighbors are holding things up with our lot. Like a domino effect one thing effects another and having our 80 year old fence just over the deeded property line is holding up the P.U.D. process.

The silver lining is the boys are enjoying loops around the pumpkin patch, someday to be our kitchen.

Pick One

Whoa- This latest meeting with HSpaceDB was exciting. To think that we actually get to pick a direction of design for a new home was a bit overwhelming and very grownup of us. The three plans given to us by Scott and this loyal gang were impressive and beautiful.

First, a cubic modern dream home with its water cooling features and clean lines.

Second, the earth model sunk into the ground with a south wall running one end of the house to the other heating and cooling us thought the year.

And third the modern farmhouse with its vaulted ceilings and private bedroom wing.

Details of all the floors and orientation on the pasture really brought the project to life. In just few minutes it didn't take long to eliminate one scheme from pile and the farmhouse lost. Our final decision came down to going with the earth scheme. The combination of beauty and layout of the house was "genius." So now the process of flipping rooms around, tweaking things has begun. I dreamt last night that I actually walked through the front door of this house.

The Program

We had our first meeting with HSpaceDB about design today. E. did a faceplant at school and had to make an uncharted stop at the dentist, so it was just Chris, no mama. It was time to make some big decisions about what we want. What DO we want, if you can have anything? Bathroom down the hall? Kids up or down? How can you say? We've been talking, thinking, tossing around ideas for so long...wierd to finally try to put them on paper.

Scott sent some left over blocks of wood home with Chris so we could visualize the concept of rooms in a 3D way. It was a little overwhelming.

The pictures they sent home were gorgeous though...the views we'd have of the lovely barn, Mount Olympus, the pasture. They mapped out where the sun hits in the winter, and summer...very important information for a cold blooded creature like Virginia.

2500-ish square feet
3 bedrooms
2.5 bathrooms
one big kitchen, living, dining area, a "Family" room with room to explode in toys, projects and all the saturday morning glory with lots of connection to the outdoor space. Whew!


Open pasture brought into home, Home brought to pasture.

Our general direction is towards a modern farmhouse. An idea we are getting use to and finding out there are some beautiful designs which would fit our lifes. Possibilities of drawings on our next meeting brings smiles.

Here we go...

Signed our contract yesterday, we've committed to building now. Scott Hinton, owner of HSpaceDB, seems to share our vision for the Pasture Project, and be as passionate about building something beautiful and green as we are. After agreeing that we shall not fight during these next two years, we went home and had a drink. Here we go...

An Eastern View

A cold evening in April 2006 convinced us to raise our children in a green pasture. Under the sunset alpenglow of the new snow on the Wasatch Mountains they will have freedom to enter their own world of exploration.