Location: Fennville, Michigan
After visiting historic Rugby, Tennessee, in the mid-1990s, the owners of this house had fallen in love with the architecture of Andrew Jackson Downing. Most of the homes in Rugby buildings used his designs. A friend of theirs in Rugby had built a house from Downing plans. This started them dreaming about recreating an 1880s home, as well.
The couple purchased a Dover classic featuring Downing house plans. Though they were recreating a late 19th century home, they also wanted to use 21st century building technology. Because of this, they approached Tammis at Ekocite with their purchased plans so she could adapt them to use structural insulated panels (SIPs) for the basic structure. SIPs are designed to be a building system. They combine structure and insulation that saves construction time while making the home structurally sound.
However, the siding used took a more traditional, historically accurate approach. The couple cut down and milled several ash and sassafras trees for the siding, along with cherry for the inside trim. The lumber was dried in a solar kiln they built over the spring and summer the year they built their home.
Usually, Downing houses are painted in light colors, such as tan or gray or gold, and accented with a dark trim. The color chosen followed this traditional style of years ago.
Included in the project:
- Adapting original historic house plans to use modern building technology.
- Wood siding.
- Structural Insulated Panels.
Interested in doing something similar?
Contact Tammis at Ekocite here.
