Fireplace design

(Brendan)

We've had a slow evolution in our overall fireplace wall design (and even the model of fireplace we selected) from the beginning of our home project up to now. Initially, the main guidance I gave my brother is that I really liked some pictures I had seen of fireplaces with an exposed flue (see this old post), and Molly and I both thought this would be great to incorporate into our design. With that initial guidance, the first look we got of a potential fireplace wall design was in a rendering my brother did of the family room:

This was an awesome first stab at it, though in hindsight what you see above could never have worked. The main reason is that you can't have a fireplace enclosure that is so close to the fireplace unit (i.e. tight fitting) because there are clearance requirements to prevent dangerously hot air temperatures from occurring above the fireplace. You need larger enclosure clearances than what is shown in the rendering.

Also, from a design standpoint, what we really wanted was a double-sided fireplace (see-through) so that the fireplace could be enjoyed from the other side of the wall in the library. Though I'm a big wood fireplace guy, after researching fireplaces and talking to fireplace vendors, having a double-sided wood-burning fireplace wouldn't be feasible because it would actually suck out more heat from the room than it would add to it. For a wood-burning fireplace to be efficient, it really needs the brick behind the fire to store heat and radiate it into the room (as is the case in a single-side fireplace). Take that away and what you get is just a vertical airstream sucking heat out of the room, up, and out of the house.

So, we eventually decided to switch to incorporating a double-sided gas fireplace. Molly was definitely all for this because she loves the convenience of just flipping a switch to turn on the fire, and I was glad that it would be less messy (with no wood to store), simpler, and would mean that the fireplace would be used more often.

In the construction prints, my brother modified the fireplace wall design to have a ledge on either side of the fireplace:

Also, the flue was vented vertically all the way up through the roof of the house.

The vertical vent was necessary because we had chosen a "natural vent," or B-vent gas fireplace. This still intakes air from the room and vents it to the outside of the house, but gas flames can radiate more heat into the room and are more efficient than wood-burning fires. The vertical vent was not ideal because we had to run the flue through the master wardrobe upstairs. Another option is called "direct vent" for gas fireplaces, where the flue is actually two tubes that are co-axial and serve as the air intake (from the outside) and air exhaust (to the outside). These are the highest efficiency fireplaces available because they do not take any air from the room. Another bonus is that they do not have to be vented vertically, allowing a horizontal vent in certain situations (which would save us space in the master wardrobe).

So we eventually changed to a direct-vent gas fireplace model, with a horizontal vent to the South side of the house through the first-floor ceiling. We decided to nix the fake logs-type gas fireplace design and go with something a little more contemporary and truth-in-design oriented. After all, if it was going to be a gas fireplace, it might as well not pretend to be a wood-burning fireplace. Eventually we settled on this model fireplace:

This is basically a "fire-ribbon" design, where the gas burners are in a thin line across the fireplace, and can be surrounded by ceramic stones (which also act to store and radiate heat). There are a few companies that sell a "fire-ribbon" gas fireplace (Spark, Napoleon, and Montigo) and I found Montigo to be by far the cheapest. We selected the Montigo LF38-ST fireplace. If you click on the link and look to the lower right, you can see a video of what it looks like in operation.

For some reason, almost all direct-vent fireplaces have the flue opening off-center, and I really wanted the flue to look on-center coming from the top of the fireplace. So using my CAD program and talking to our fireplace dealer, we worked out an acceptable solution to route the flue back on-center that is still within the manufacturer's guidelines:

Also shown above are the minimum clearances necessary to meet the manufacturer's installation guidelines. The exposed flue has to be sheathed in another metal tube for safety reasons, which you can also see in the above designs.

Lastly, after going around and around about how to finish the exterior of the fireplace, I found a very cool tip on a design site where an architect actually created a fireplace surround with concrete backer board (typically used for tile underlayment), stained with concrete stain and sealed. His cost: $20. A pic of his finished look is below:

I like the porous concrete look, in contrast to the painted drywall that would be behind the fireplace. So, with this finishing in mind I started designing how this would look for our fireplace, and in the process also happened on the idea that the ledges on either side of the fireplace would be perfect for storage space and could also double as extra seating areas if we had custom cushions made. My designs are below:

Again, the storage areas would have a custom cushion made to fit on top so that you wouldn't actually see the doors or hinges. Add a couple throw pillows and you get two perfect reading nooks (or as Molly said, two perfect time-out corners -- kind of cushy time-out corners if you ask me).

On the library side it would look like this:

The colors you see are tentative, but it's the direction we're headed for now. This is all still a work in progress, we'll see how the final product works out!

An Epiphany Blessing

(Molly)

On Wednesday, January 6, I toted the kids up to the house for the traditional Epiphany blessing of the doorpost. Since the Middle Ages, people have been marking their doorposts in this manner and asking for the Lord's blessing upon their home.

If I had been thinking ahead, I would have asked Brendan's dad to bless our chalk the night before, but alas, this was a last-minute decision on my part. So, we made a stop at St Rita's parish for the deacon there to bless our chalk instead. He got all of the kids involved and admitted it was the first time he has ever blessed chalk for this European tradition. He was an excited and willing participant that day.


We then made the hike up to Ham Lake where the contractors were diligently at work on our home. Since the home is still unheated and the temps were in the single digits, our trip was a quick one! (I'm forever grateful for the hard work of these men in the freezing MN temps!)

I had prepared enough to bring a step stool, but even with that, I wasn't able to reach above our front door, which is eight feet tall. So, we moved into the garage and did the blessing over the service door.

The names of the wise men are not recorded in Scripture, but our tradition holds that their names were Caspar, Melchoir, and Balthazar. The custom is to use the initials of the wise men in the blessing along with the present year. I wrote "20+C+M+B+10" which means "Christus Mansionum Benedicat, 2010". Or, put simply, "May Christ Bless this Dwelling, the Year of Our Lord, 2010".

The chalked blessing above our doorpost

Clara, Max, and Eleanor

(Aidan didn't want to be in the photo)

This prayer also accompanies the blessing:

"Bless, O Lord, almighty God, this home so that in it there may be health, chastity, victorious strength, humility, goodness and mildness, obedience to God's laws, and acts of thanks to God the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, and may this blessing remain upon this house, and upon all who dwell in it. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen."

We hope for this to become a yearly Epiphany tradition for our home.

New baby doing well!

(Brendan)

While I'm on blogger, I also wanted to post to let everyone know that Molly had her first OB appointment yesterday (new baby is about 12 weeks along) and, though we're nervous any time there is an ultrasound or they check for the heartbeat, thanks be to God Molly's doctor was able to find the heartbeat right away (166 bpm) and everything seems to be progressing normally! Thanks again for your continued prayers.

New construction schedule

(Brendan)

Sorry for the low post volume, unfortunately there hasn't been as much to update on lately. As you may have seen in one of my comments on a previous post, the finish date (or at least the move-in date) has been delayed from the original plan of early February due to the cold weather, window delivery delay, and also a delay in getting the house roof spray-foam insulation done so that the heat can be turned on. This probably isn't a surprise, and you can see by my latest pictures in previous posts that there's obviously no way we would be able to move in by early February. That said, our new "ready for move-in" date is March 16, and even that I would say is tentative based on some further delays in getting the roof insulation done (which has to do with an inspector who isn't as knowledgeable on this type of construction and is having to be walked through the process before he'll approve to move forward).

Here's the latest schedule I have (click either section to enlarge):

There are some things, like the driveway and exterior painting, that have to wait for warmer weather in May, but we'll be able to move in after the "final cleaning" date before those delayed items.

In the mean time, while we wait for the roof insulation to be completed, expect some other interesting posts on the fireplace that we selected (along with the installation design) and a traditional blessing that Molly and the kids did of our doorways on the feast of the Epiphany.

Windows finally being installed...

(Brendan)

A very merry Christmas to everyone! Below is a new set of pictures from a recent visit to the house. Our windows have been delayed due to various reasons up until now, but all windows have finally been delivered to the site and are being installed. When Molly and I and my brother (he's in town again for Christmas) visited, roughly 2/3 of the windows had been installed.

Other subtle but major items that have been completed: electrical rough-in, plumbing rough-in, and the rough-in of the duct work between floors.

(Click any image to enlarge)

A front view of the house. Not a lot different exterior-wise (except lots more snow), but you can see some installed windows. That's our day-to-day project manager, Andy Olberg from Chuba Company, walking near the garage.

Here's a composite of two images that shows the house from a diagonal angle (with more installed windows on the South side).

The kitchen windows have been installed!

The location for the refrigerator (left) and the framed-in pantry (right). Locating light switches on the beam in the center was a challenge for the electrician, but he just did get them in there.

Duct work and electrical wiring in the ceiling of the kitchen. The exposed duct opening you see near the electrical wire hanging down is the vent for the range hood, which will be located over the gas range on the kitchen island. Locating this vent opening accurately at this stage of the process (with the island not yet present) was just yet another of our daily problem-solving challenges.

The view from the kitchen (near where the main sink will be) all the way down through the family room. This shows one of the many sight-lines my brother used in the architecture of the home, where you look through the home and out a window (at the end) to the outdoors beyond.

The same view from the opposite end in the family room, looking down towards the kitchen (and out the strategically placed window).

Installed windows on the East side of the dining room (with my brother standing to the right).

A similar set of installed windows in the the East side of the school room.

The window wall in the family room and library. The openings for the sets of windows have now been cut-out (heightened) to their final size close to the ceiling in preparation for the window installation. My brother and Andy are going over a few detail questions on the prints in the foreground.

A set of windows for the window wall, ready to be installed. It was extremely cool to see these for the first time. The windows on the upper right and lower left (on this set) are the operable casements, while the other two windows are fixed. I cannot wait for these to be fully installed!

At the top of the stairs to the second level, looking up at the fixed window on the West side that brings light into the staircase. I like this picture because it look like there's some sort of bottomless chasm in the home :-)

The two small stairs that lead to the area with the nursery and master bedroom.

Looking into the nursery/guest bedroom.

Over in the master bathroom, the plumbing lines for the dual sinks. We are having somewhat unique faucets that come right out of the wall, and you can see the valves and pipes that have been installed for the faucets and the hot and cold controls on either side.

Looking through the master bathroom to the installed window in the shower and tub area (another sight-line).

The master bedroom windows installed.

A closer look at the pair of windows above where the bed will be, which are awning windows that push out from the bottom so we can have them open when it's raining at night (our favorite :-)

Looking back across toward the kids' rooms.

On the other side of the house, a view down the hallway towards the girls' room at the end.

The girls' bathtub/shower unit (including control valve and tub faucet) have been installed.

Lastly, one cool development we hadn't thought of (but definitely should have). Duane, our main general contractor, was doing a walk-through and was thinking that the space above the girls' bathroom and the girls' and boys' closets would sure be a great space for a loft for more storage room or even a play room for the kids. Here's the print of the girls' and boys' rooms...

And here's the space Duane was referring to (all of which is capped at a 9 ft. ceiling, meaning there's dead space above up to the roof trusses)...
There's actually also a space like this above the master bathroom and master wardrobe that could be used for storage space.

Duane noted that our kids would probably thank us in the future if we turned the space in the pic above into a lofted room :-) It was a great idea, and even though we didn't feel prepared to act on it now (we'd rather decide how we're going to use the room and then design it properly, and also didn't want to have to figure out a ladder situation to get up there), we did go ahead and have the builders put a plywood floor up there and wire two light fixture locations in the ceiling. The view from the girls' room is below...

And looking above the closets from the boys' room...

None of the walls are load-bearing up there, as the roof trusses bear all the load. So whenever we decide to in the future, we can have that lofted room finished (also an easy DIY project) and put openings in the right locations for some sort of ladder access to the room.

Another reason to wait on finishing this lofted room: Aidan is likely (no... certain) to think it a marvelous idea to launch himself from up there and on to a strategically placed bed below. No need for occasions of sin (or occasions of severe injury :-)

Another new life in the Koop family!

(Brendan and Molly)

This is well overdue, and not news for our immediate family (or Molly's Facebook friends), but for those who only keep in touch with us via our blog... we're pregnant! The new baby is 8 weeks along (due July 29), and we would definitely ask your prayers for its health and safety and for the Lord, if it be His will, to allow us to keep this one for a while (a long while). Molly has already had an ultrasound so that her doctor could make sure the baby is doing okay, and though we were very nervous about it, it couldn't have gone more perfectly. The baby already has a strong heartbeat and is progressing normally. Here's a picture!

We very much look forward to this baby occupying the nursery of the new home!

New construction update...

(Brendan)

If you don't live in Minnesota, I can inform you that the past week has been bitterly, bitterly cold. Once in the past week I went to the house to drop off a sink for the plumbers and planned to take pictures for a blog post, and it was so cold (near 0 deg F) I just got the heck out of there without bothering with the pictures. Today it was mercifully warmer (20 deg F, heat wave!) and so when Molly and I stopped by the house I jumped out and did a quick video walk-through. A video walk-through is really the best way to see progress on the house at this point; still images of interior framing make it hard to get a grasp of what you are looking at.

Windows are set to arrive Dec. 16th, with completion of window installation by Dec. 21. The workers are very much looking forward to getting the radiant heat turned on!

Henry Blaise Koop, December 1, 2008 -- We will always remember...

(Brendan and Molly)

Today is the 1st anniversary of the day that changed our lives forever; the day that placed a rupture in our family that will only be healed in heaven; the day that our precious Henry Blaise was born and found to have been taken by Our Lord to be with Him. Henry is more alive than we are, for he sees God face to face, and contemplates His beauty for all eternity. Henry is a vital member of our family, interceding for for his family that remain here in the world, along with his brother Jude Thomas who also was taken by Our Lord to be with Him this past summer. We know that our time here on earth is the tiniest fraction of all the time we will spend together in heaven, and we offer our sufferings from this time of separation to the Lord for the salvation of souls and for a continual increase in holiness in our family.

It would honor us if you would join in remembering Henry through this video...

A special thanks to Joe Clarke and Anjanette Conway, who took pictures for us at Henry's funeral.

We know that Henry's death was God's will, and were comforted in a special way by the Lord blessing us with a very direct sign of this. This previous post by Molly explains, and we continue to be grateful the Lord blessed us with this knowledge.

Thank you for your continuing prayers and support. Praise God for the beautiful gift of Henry in our family!

Architect sighting!

(Brendan)

Molly and I and kids were able to make a trip out to the house on Friday with my brother (also our architect) and his wife, who are in town for Thanksgiving, and also my sister and parents. It was great for my brother to see the physical manifestation of his design!

(Click any of the pictures to enlarge.)

The house was being wrapped in Tyvek when we visited, and since the windows and doors are not on site yet, all of the window openings were being covered as well to keep out the weather. The underlayment for the shingles was also being laid, and the shingles should go on the roof early this week.

It was awesome to see the garage roof trusses up and the full shape of the garage peaks. From an outside form perspective, the house is pretty much its full form now!

Close-up of the garage peaks.

Interior view of the garage roof trusses. Looks like we'll definitely have some room for some storage of boxes and other things up there.

View behind the garage, with the kitchen off to the left.

Rear view of the house.

Molly and my sister, Allison, in the doorway from the kitchen to the mud room.

The mechanical room is almost full framed in now.

My brother and his wife, with Clara, in the future family room.

Upstairs, looking towards the North wing.

The kids, near where the future rooms will be. My Dad is taking pictures looking out the window.

My brother, pontificating on the finer points of his design :-)

Standing in the future nursery in the South wing.

The master bedroom.

My brother and me and Molly. Molly's not really that short, she just looks even shorter since she was standing in a depression in the mud :-)

Another pic of the three of us. We were going to do one of those pretentious pictures where none of us smiles and we try to look serious, but in the end we decided to smile.