Joe Svatos’ 217-year-old log cabin in Rappahannock County, Va., came perilously close to meeting an undignified end. “I bought the property for the land, which had this shack on it,” says the Washington, D.C.–based commercial real estate developer. “I thought we would get rid of it.” But once the dilapidated building’s century-old wood siding was removed, Svatos realized he had a historically significant structure—one that overlooks the tranquil Hazel River and boasts a stunning view of a famous Shenandoah National Park peak known as Old Rag Mountain. So rather than tearing down the cabin and its 1856 addition, he decided to transform it into his own weekend residence.
Architect David Haresign, of Bonstra | Haresign Architects in Washington, had always made a good impression on Svatos. Haresign typically works on larger urban projects, but he eagerly accepted Svatos’ request to design the cabin’s renovation. Svatos chose Greg Foster of Timberbuilt Construction as his general contractor because of the Flint Hill, Va.–based builder’s impeccable track record with both historic houses and more modern residences. Despite the team’s wide range of experience, though, no one involved had ever taken on a job quite like this. “None of us knew how complex and challenging it would be,” Svatos says.
Read the entire story and see the slideshow of this amazing project here.
