Renovating Stonehurst with Vermont Made Products

We've been careful to restore, reuse and re-purpose as much as we could from the original Stonehurst farmhouse. Where we needed new materials for the renovation, we sourced local Vermont made products whenever possible. This is a Vermont Castings stove, made in Bethel VT. It's sitting on a Vermont slate hearth stone mined in Poultney VT. The mantle was made by a craftsman in Walpole NH (oops.. just across the border, though) from Vermont cherry wood. Chairs in the foreground are made by Jim Geier of Vermont Folk Rocker in Starksboro VT.
It's been almost a year now since we purchased Stonehurst, the 200+ year old farmhouse we've grown to know and love. From the beginning when we first conceptualized this showcase of Vermont's best handmade furniture, fine art and home decor accessories we decided to renovate with local products. We worked with Brattleboro architect Jeremy Coleman and Spofford builder, Bob Furlone (American Construction) to reuse and re-purpose everything we could in an effort to keep Stonehurst authentic. And when we needed to purchase building materials new, we sourced Vermont made products where possible.
Dennis, Heather B, Kelsey and I have written many Stonehurst blog posts describing the details of how we renovated and where materials came from. But I wanted to do a final run-down to recognize and thank the Vermont companies that made Stonehurst the authentic showcase it is today. Here's the list:

• Windows were custom handcrafted to match original designs, by Green Mountain Window in Rutland, VT
• The maple and cherry hardwood in our floors was harvested and milled locally by Kerber Farms Mill and Lumber in Guilford, VT. Joe Dhembe in Newfane, VT installed the floors.
• Original wood floors were too fragile to reuse, but Bob Furlone's American Construction crew (Scott Strong Superintendent, Martha Ratcliff, Chuck Johns, Patrick Devens, Howard Bassett, Ketch Greene) were able to salvage, clean and re-purpose them as beautiful rustic ceilings
• Interior painting and some exterior painting was done by W R Painting Inc in Ashulot, NH
• Exterior painting was also done by Moe Momany Painting in Brattleboro, VT
• Slate floors were mined in Poultney, VT and installed by Albert diBiccari of AD Ceramic Tile, Marlborough NH
• 2 gas stoves and a wood stove were made by Vermont Castings in Bethel, VT
• Custom steel railings for the stairwell were period designed and handmade by Richard Crawford of Vermont Steelcraft
• Jeremy's decorative porch rafters and the cherry fireplace mantle were crafted by Walpole Cabinetry in Walpole NH
• We left original beams in place wherever possible, but some new beams were needed. They were sustainably harvested and hand-hewn by Vermont Timberworks in Springfield, VT
• Brattleboro's engineering firm, Stevens and Associates designed the site plan
• Local excavator, Carey Tyler of Tyler Excavation did all the site work
• A handful of trees had to be taken down because they were leaning over the building. Turner and Renaud Tree Service fell the trees and local sawyer, Vince Johnson brought his portable sawmill over to slice and dice the wood.
• Carroll Concrete of Vernon VT poured the new concrete foundation which shores up the old stone foundation
• Masonry, stone wall repair and construction of the new stone wall along our ADA accessible ramp out front was artfully performed by Scott Sartoria of SKS Masonry in Keene, NH
• A new standing seam metal roof over the renovated sections of Stonehurst was installed by Rohr Cook of Chester, VT. Soon Rohr will be repairing the old slate roof on the other side of Stonehurst
• Landscaping is being designed now by Gordon Hayward of Hayward Gardens in Putney, VT. Torben Larsen of Windham Growers in Putney VT will be installing stone pathways, trees, shrubs and gardens. Our fabulous crew of summer interns have been helping with landscaping. They are Jimmy Mills and Douglas' children-- Trenton, Taegen and Tristan Fletcher.

A million thanks to all of you for making Stonehurst the special place it is! I must also thank Vermont taxpayers and the people who worked on the Vermont Working Lands Grant Initiative. Earlier this year they awarded Vermont Woods Studios a $100,000 grant to help complete the Stonehurst project.
To follow through on our "all things Vermont" theme, we are now working with local artisans to adorn the inside of Stonehurst with Vermont made fine furniture, artwork and home decor items. Soon you will be able to see that, plus lighting by Hubbardton Forge, glassware and pottery by Simon Pearce and pewter by Danforth Pewter all under one roof. Come visit and enjoy!