ROOTED IN HISTORY, BUILT FOR TOMORROW

Photography by Michael Patch 

Beautiful Spout Spring homestead is a dream come true

Dana and Craig Ranson, both natives of Virginia, dreamed of building a retirement home where their children would visit, and they could enjoy nature every day. They found the perfect piece of land and began building their home in Spout Spring in 2021, right in the middle of the Covid pandemic. They purchased the 240-acre plot of land in 2018, and immediately enlisted the help of Zach Baldridge, owner of True Custom Inc., to start the design and build process. 

Baldridge, a fourth-generation builder, grew up surrounded by the art of design, especially with his father being a professor of art and design. The Ransons knew Baldridge was the perfect fit for their vision. Both Craig and Dana had worked with him in the past as engineers at Ericsson. They knew he was creative and had started a construction business. Craig said, “We couldn’t be happier with the outcome. Zach did an awesome job.” 

The views
Situated overlooking a small lake that was created via a dam in the 1950s, the house has stunning views. Baldridge says, “We knew that the lake was a focal point, so placing the house over the peninsula area made the most sense. This allowed for a nice view of the lake from many locations within the home.” The land had to be cleared because it was wooded, and loads of grading work also had to take place. 

The large property features numerous buildings and noteworthy locations. Of particular interest is the original 1800s lake that fed the two-story stone gristmill, as well as an ice pit. The stone-lined ice pit sits 15 feet wide and was used to sell ice to the industry. A white farmhouse with a red roof dating from the early 1900s was also left standing, and it proved to be useful when the family needed a place to stay when the new house was not quite finished. Additionally, Craig tends to his cattle farm on the property, something that takes up a lot of his spare time. 

When approaching the house, a long driveway directs guests to the main house. Living up to its name, Spout Spring had a lot of springs that got in the way of this driveway. Thirty truckloads of “bad dirt” had to be replaced with “good dirt” (i.e. more able to drain) before construction on the driveway could even begin. In the end, the driveway took almost as long as the house to be completed. 

The welcome
The home’s exterior consists of a mixture of dark brown and taupe Hardie Plank applied in both vertical and horizontal directions, as well as stone accents. Typical of Baldridge’s work, the house has clean lines, due in part to concealed gutters and a dark metal roof. A porch with stone columns provides cover for the oak front door. To the left, in the garden, resides a large stone with “1840 WH” carved into it. This capstone was found near the mill and moved up closer to the house, reflecting the history of the land. 

Upon walking in the front door, a large great room welcomes guests with glorious views down to the lake from multiple angles. Baldridge says, “My favorite aspect of the home is actually the view as you step in the front door. This wall of glass allows plenty of light and captures the nature, which surrounds the home.” Baldridge advised the Ransons to add two side windows to the room to let even more light in and to allow for fantastic views of the sunrise and sunset. These windows are tinted, but no curtains were used so that the views are unimpeded. 

The great room centers around a stunning slate-covered fireplace. The wooden mantle and accent pieces along the side were sourced from an old log cabin that belonged to Craig’s great-great-grandfather in the Pamplin area. The vaulted ceiling is covered in tongue-and-groove wood that warms the room, with beams in between the two metal chandeliers that illuminate the room. A cream-colored sectional sofa facing the fireplace provides the main seating for the room, as well as a pair of swivel chairs, which can face the room for get-togethers or the lake for sipping coffee in the morning. 

The kitchen and dining room are open to the great room, making entertainment easy. Having had a little-used formal dining room in the past, Dana intentionally chose an informal dining space this time around. An extra-long table has bench seating on one side and chairs on the other. A simple black metal chandelier hangs above it. On one of the only walls in the room hangs a watercolor of the James River Batteau Festival. A large, covered porch seamlessly continues out the dining room door, with the same slate tile floors as the great room fireplace. 

The convenience
When it came time to design the kitchen and the bathrooms, the Ransons enlisted the help of Tracy Kearney, Owner and President of Cornerstone Cabinets. Together, they landed on a two-island, two-toned color scheme for the room. The double-island feature allows for easy entertaining. The Ransons love to have their two boys, both engineers like their parents, as well as extended family, join them for holidays. The island cabinets are dark brown, while the rest of the cabinets are white. Above each island hangs a caged Sputnik light fixture. The countertops are a mixture of marble, quartzite and granite. White handmade subway tiles provide the backsplash. 

Flowing off the kitchen, a coffee bar offers a beverage fridge and another sink, allowing guests easy access to drinks at get-togethers. The same cabinetry and countertops are used here as in the kitchen. In the pantry, the same cabinets are used but black granite countertops elevate the design. Dana asked for a window in the pantry after a friend recommended it, and she could not be happier with the results. 

Walking past the kitchen leads guests to Dana’s office, a mudroom and the garage. Dana loves having her own small, but mighty, office. White cabinets and black countertops, the same as the pantry, provide the storage needed for her office. A black-and-white drawing of her sons hangs on the wall. 

The mudroom has built-in lower cabinets at a bench level that allows for ease of taking shoes off and on. Baldridge advised the Ransons to use “hit-and-miss” white oak floors throughout the main level of the house. This hits the homeowner’s desire for a mix of rustic, rugged and contemporary design. 

The main bedroom, Craig’s office, and the laundry room reside on the other side of the great room. In Craig’s office, a navy built-in shelf provides the desk and storage for the room. Within the shelf hangs a map dating to 1865 of Buckingham County and Appomattox. It shows both the Ransons’ current property and their ancestral homes. Furthermore, a fully restored 1840s mantle clock that belonged to Craig’s great-great-great grandfather has a home here. 

Craig chose the décor for his office. In particular, he likes the cowhide rug with an “R” for “Ranson” branded on it that he found at Green Front Furniture. He also chose the light fixture, a metal orb, because it reminded him of a nuclear atom. He currently works in the energy industry. Dana likes to point out the taxidermy deer head on the wall. She jokes it was the deer that kept eating all of her plants. 

The details
The main bedroom and bathroom are nothing short of exquisite. The wood ceiling used in the great room is repeated in the bedroom. Four windows overlook the lake and pool, with swivel chairs to facilitate the viewing. The bright white main bathroom has two vanities, a toilet closet and a large walk-in shower. 

The lower level of the house walks out to the pool and lake level. It is flooded with light, and the stained concrete floors are perfect for wet feet. The full home gym is decorated with a collection of Virginia Tech memorabilia, including a maroon-and-orange accent wall, a replica Hokie stone above the door, and a hand painted “VT” art piece done by their youngest son at age 5. His preschool teacher said he drew it every day! 

A second full kitchen and den area reside in the center of the basement. The full kitchen allows Dana to have a space to work on her passion for canning. In a good season, minus the year the taxidermy deer ate her veggies, Dana cans 30-40 quarts of tomatoes, 50-60 quarts of green beans and makes her own salsa. The den area is situated around a TV and comfortable couches. A collection of arrowheads found on the grounds of this home, in Appomattox and the family farm in Pamplin sit on the coffee table. Two bathrooms, two bedrooms and storage space round out the basement level. 

The outside of the home is stunning. Brian Saunders, owner of Saunders Outdoor Living and a former punter for the Virginia Tech football team, provided all of the landscaping, hardscaping and numerous retaining walls for the house. Craig says, “Whatever idea we had, we gave it to Brian, and he ran with it. He did a phenomenal job.” 

The heated chlorine pool, installed by Perry Pools, is a favorite place to spend time. A covered area provides a shaded place to watch TV and take an afternoon nap. A brown metal fence surrounds the pool. Dana says that although the fence was required by building codes, she likes that it keeps some of the wildlife out. At night, light-scaping illuminates the pool in a whole new manner. Further seating options are located in a patio surrounded by a low stonewall adjacent to the pool, as well as a fire pit located closer down to the water. 

The lake hosts all kinds of wildlife and activity options for the family. The family likes to fish, kayak and paddleboard on the lake. Snapping turtles, two cranes and a family of geese reside nearby. 

The Ransons’ dream of making a historic property part of their future has come to fruition. Every day brings a new adventure and a chance to broaden their love for the land. As their family grows larger and matures, this homestead will develop right along with them. ✦