Hand Hewn
Vermont
Architecture | Karyn Scherer |
|---|---|
Building | Birdseye |
Woodwork | Birdseye |
Metalwork | Birdseye |
Sitework | Birdseye |
Landscape | Broadleaf Landscape |
Photography | Lindsay Selin |
Completed | 2019 |
Historic Framework
The primary structure, a circa-1725 English-style barn from Amsterdam, NY, is joined by a mid-1800s Vermont barn—each disassembled, restored, and re-raised on site.
Material Legacy
Reclaimed slate, salvaged timbers, locally quarried stone, and lumber harvested on-site form a palette of historic and regional materials.
Perched on a historic hill farm in Vermont’s Mad River Valley, Hand Hewn is a home built with deep respect for place, history, and sustainable living.
At its core are two reclaimed timber frames: an English-style barn from the early 1700s in Amsterdam, New York, and a smaller barn from mid-19th-century Sharon, Vermont. The larger frame, distinguished by its central drive-through bay and full-length, hand-hewn elm and oak beams, features gunstock posts and oversized joinery, exemplifying traditional craft.
The design carefully merges the two barns, each one carefully disassembled, restored, and re-raised to create a unified structure. Inside and out, the material approach reinforces the home’s authenticity and environmental ethos. Stone for the chimney and fireplace was gathered both on-site and from a nearby quarry in Panton, Vermont. The slate flooring once served as roofing in Waterbury. Interior barn boards and flooring were salvaged from local structures, and cabinetry was crafted from maple and beech felled on the property itself.
In harmony with its historical roots, the home embraces future-forward sustainability. Powered entirely by two on-site solar arrays, the home runs on clean energy—from geothermal heating to electric vehicle charging, with battery backup. Hand Hewn reflects a timeless sensibility, grounded in heritage and built to endure.
