The Stone & The Soul: A Study in Master Masonry

Honouring the master masonry of the ridge.
"There are elements of a home that are merely functional, and then there are those that anchor its very soul. For us, that soul is found in the three hand-chipped, hand-laid fireplaces that define the wings of the lodge.
Commissioned in 1989, these hearths were the work of a master brick and stone mason from Yugoslavia. His craftsmanship is extraordinary—a testament to a time when stones were laid with intention rather than speed. While the house was born in the late eighties, these fireplaces possess a timelessness that defies decades; they feel as relevant today as they would have in a grand mountain hotel in 1904.
The Evolution of the Great Room For years, I contemplated the Great Room fireplace. While the stonework was magnificent, the scale felt unfinished—the artwork above it seemed to float, untethered to the room’s grand proportions. The debate was constant: Minimalism or Substance?
In December 2023, we made our choice. We introduced a thick, slab-style mantle to ground the stone. It was the missing piece of the puzzle—a bridge between the original mason’s grit and our modern vision.
The Three Settings From the bustling 'Lodge Room' where the family gathers, to the soaring sophistication of the A-frame Great Room, and finally to the quiet sanctuary of the primary suite, these three hearths provide the rhythm of our lives.
The Vision Forward I still find myself looking at the exterior chimneys, dreaming of custom caps reminiscent of the Edwardian era. It is a nod to my inner history enthusiast—an ambition to treat this 'Boomerang' ranch with the same reverence one might show a historic hotel.
Whoever oversaw this build had the wisdom to steer clear of passing trends. Today, we continue that work—not by changing what was built, but by finally giving it the finish it deserves."

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