What is your favourite holiday memory? Was it your first Christmas with a new baby or grandchild, a winter wedding, or a memorable snowstorm? It could have been the Christmas story your grandfather told every year, but still had you on the edge of your seat. Those stories and memories are part of what makes the holiday season so great.
“The stockings were hung by the chimney with care…” is the introduction to a truly iconic Christmas story. We can all picture those stockings being hung over the warm fireplace, the smell of the dancing and crackling flames, the comforting sound of carols in the background, the warmth that comes with sipping hot chocolate, and time feels like it stands still.
However, what if the stockings were not the story? What if the tale being told was not about the stockings hung with care… but what they were hung to? I have a story like this…
While walking through Mike’s new property, he says, “It’s a shame we have to cut down these beautiful trees, but this is the spot for our new house, so I guess they can’t stay.”
“We could turn that tree into a nice mantle…” I say as we admire the beautiful mature cottonwood tree.
“Really? You can do that?” Mike replied. One year later, Mike and Julie set the photo of their grandkids on that mantle while unpacking in their new home.
Transforming a tree into a mantle is one of my favourite additions when custom building.
Not only will it use something that would otherwise become firewood, but it also creates a legacy that will live on for a very long time. Having mature trees on your property is a dream for most and can be challenging to find. These trees can take decades to grow so big and only minutes to cut down. While we always do our best to save trees, there are times when some owners need to pay this price to have their perfect view.
The process of creating a mantle is simple. During one of our site visits prior to construction, we evaluate the placement of your new home or cottage and determine if any trees have to come down.
Once we decide on this, we can see if any of those trees would fit into the vision for your new home. Maybe your style is to have a square mantle sanded smooth to perfection, or perhaps you want it to show some live edge on one or more sides.
The possibilities are endless, and we can custom-mill and stain the log to fit your project.
What if no trees are being cut down on your property? Don’t worry! Your mantle would just tell a different story. We can still find a wonderfully beautiful timber or log to give you what you’re looking for. Maybe your story has you trudging through the snow of the lumber yard for hours searching for the perfect piece, or maybe that’s just how you will share it at Holiday dinners; we won’t tell. Either way, we will work with you to find the perfect piece. No fireplace? No problem! We can repurpose a tree into your own perfect accent piece. Perhaps a shelf or a bench; again, the possibilities are endless.
I imagine your story could sound like this: “I transformed this log into a mantle with my bare hands!”, you exclaim, while your family collectively rolls their eyes as you tell, “The Mantle Story” for the 100th time this Christmas. A tale of wild adventure, true love lost and found again, or a silly comedy, it doesn’t matter to me; I love a great story. Some of my fondest memories are just as a little boy, hearing stories my grandfather told me at the cabin, hanging onto every last word.
I especially loved hearing the saga of building our family cottage, cutting every piece of wood by hand saw, with no power. He loved to tell me how it took most of the day to get to the cottage, and that the lodge down the road sold ice all summer that was harvested from the lake in the winter to keep the icebox cold.
Building a new house or cottage is an exciting process, but the stories truly make it into a home. So next year, when you are hanging the stockings by the chimney with care, what do you want your story to be?
Josh
