Giles and Ruby Jane Robertson searched for several years for property where they could build the home they would retire to. They were drawn to Amherst County, Virginia, where Giles had spent many summers as a youth in nearby Rockbridge County. Ruby Jane’s parents had been raised in Wilkes County, North Carolina, at the foot of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Amherst County seemed perfect for Giles and Ruby Jane. “We just seem to have the mountains in our bloodstream,” Ruby Jane says.

The couple found the perfect spot in a 42 – acre property on a knoll at the edge of the George Washington National Forest. When they were looking at the land, Giles referred to their knoll as a mountain. Their real estate agent corrected him, saying, “this isn't a mountain; it’s a risin’.” The name seemed to fit, and the Robertsons’ getaway has been known as The Risin’ ever since.

Rising to the Challenge

The lot presented a challenge for home building: Rocky outcroppings were a major feature and access to the property was almost a mile from the main road via a narrow trail with 180 – degree switchbacks and hairpin curves. Taking all this into consideration, Giles and Ruby Jane contemplated what type of structure would be suited to their lifestyle and the land. They browsed through various home magazines looking for ideas.

“One of Giles’ colleagues had a cabin that had been built by Blue Ridge Timberwrights,” Ruby Jane remembers. “We toured the cabin and fell in love with the timber frame construction.”

Blue Ridge Timberwrights, based in Christiansburg, Virginia, has specialized in designing, creating and raising timber frame structures for more than 23 years. The company has built timber frames worldwide, including the newly constructed Museum of Shenandoah Valley and several homes in Japan.

During their next vacation, the Robertsons had the opportunity to stay at a beachfront home that had the ideal floor plan they were seeking for their new home. They paced off each of the rooms and noted if they wanted each one larger or smaller. They then met with the design staff at Blue Ridge Timberwrights who, in turn, helped them to refine the plan.

“We didn't know exactly where we wanted to place the house, and Al Anderson, the project manager, volunteered to help us,” Giles says. “Al also recommended Mike Campbell for our general contractor. We met Al and Mike on our property and came to an agreement on where to situate the structure and who would be responsible for which portion of the project.”

Giles and Ruby Jane reviewed the selection of wood samples offered by Blue Ridge Timberwrights and, as they wanted to use reclaimed timbers, opted for heart pine. They appreciated the strength, durability and rich color of the wood that had once seen duty in a textile mill in South Carolina.

“Mike told us we didn't need to have extensive interior floor plans,” Ruby Jane says. “Once Mike had built the foundation and Blue Ridge had raised the timbers and put the skin on the house, we just designed the interior as we went along. We would come up every Saturday to see the progress, and Mike would call us if he had questions. It worked out great.”

Designing for the future

Because they intended to live in the 2,200 – square –foot home during their retirement years, all of the rooms the couple would require are on one floor with a main level accessible through the entry directly into the great room. Off of the entry is a powder room. To the left of the foyer are the dining area, kitchen and pantry. On the east end of the kitchen, a breakfast nook opens onto the screened porch.

To the right of the great room is the study, through which the couple passes to access their master bedroom suite. The study also leads into a laundry/mud room that opens out to the front porch. Two separate second – story lofts extend over the kitchen and the mudroom, and are connected by a bridge over foyer.

“We struggled with how to access the loft as we didn't want to waste floor space. We considered a spiral staircase but that still required a six-foot diameter,” Giles says.

The solution to their dilemma came while the Robertsons were touring Switzerland. A restaurant they visited had a wine room accessible by a vertical ladder hung from the ceiling by ropes.

“Since we weren't planning to use the loft very much, we proposed this option to Mike. Unfortunately, the ladder that was installed was too heavy to be hoisted by ropes, so Mike installed an electrical winch that works perfectly,” Giles explains.

The Robertson family includes four children – three sons and one daughter – and a 2-year old grandson, who Ruby Jane relates is “totally awed by the timbers and height of the great room.” Although their children are scattered up and down the Eastern seaboard, the family endeavors to gather together at least twice a year. When they do, the 800-square-foot walkout basement with two bedrooms connected by a Jack-and-Jill bath and a sitting area with kitchenette that opens through large glass doors to a patio are available for their use.

A two-car garage is on the basement level. However, if the time comes when the couple can’t navigate the stairs from the garage to the main level, the driveway was designed so they can drive right up to the front door and enter straight into the home.

The windows were a very important consideration for the Robertsons. In the end, they selected large, casement-style windows. On the south side of the home, which is more exposed to the elements, they installed the highest-grade Norco windows available with the best UV rating.

Pieces of the Past

Giles and Ruby Jane decorated their new timber frame home with many family heirlooms. One of the pieces was a chest they found in the attic of his family’s farmhouse. Years of dust and grime had turned the chest black. After Giles scrubbed it, he was delighted to discover it was beautifully crafted of walnut.

“We wanted all of the doors to be of recycled heart pine and were able to purchase these from Caravati’s in Richmond, Virginia,” Giles explains. “One of the doors wasn't tall enough to meet code, so Mike made an exact replica to fit the opening. He then cut down the original door to fit a closet in the attic.”

Mike relates one of the native squirrels took such a liking to the heart pine in the front door that he almost chewed a hole in the bottom. Mike had to build a heart pine screen door to keep the squirrel from destroying the main door.

“For the exterior landscaping, we adopted a philosophy that simple is better and low-maintenance is the best,” Ruby Jane says. “We put mulch close to the house and added potted plants on the patio. I’m still working on establishing a wildflower patch on the sloping side of the hill.”

Because their new vacation home is only a two-hour drive from their permanent residence in Richmond, Virginia, the couple is able to spend almost every weekend in Amherst County. During their weekend stays, Giles spends a great deal of time maintaining their access roadway and ditches. He has found it is very important to remove tree debris so the water will flow well.

“When we aren’t occupied in the yard, we enjoy taking walks or hiking or just driving into town. We have made an amazing number of new friends among our neighbors and enjoy socializing with them,” Giles says.

“We look forward to our weekends here,” Ruby Jane says. “We love to watch the wildlife and listen to the song birds. Our view changes all the time, and it is so relaxing. Even though we will keep our house in Richmond, we look forward to many wonderful years in our timber frame home.” THI