We went back and forth on if we were going to keep the rock on the exterior of our 1970’s home. Not because we thought the rock was ugly, just because it wasn’t necessarily the style we would pick for our home. We have the same rock inside our house too. Inside it felt very busy for what I was trying to accomplish with our decor, so we did change that (see the rock inside HERE). I was actually certain we would change the rock outside when we bought the house, but decided to just wait to see what the exterior looked like once we painted the house black.
Now that the house is painted black and the landscaping is finished we can see what the end result will look like if we left the rock. As of now, the rock has really grown on us. The rock feels very true to the area, which is important to consider when designing a house. With the black and the new iron doors it feels very mountain modern. And once I heard this story on the rock, we liked it even more.
Marcee is the daughter of the previous home owners. Both her parents, the Mackey’s have passed away. They built this home in 1970! It was designed very well for the time. All the wallpaper, window treatments and light fixtures were very stylish. Mr. Mackey was married twice after his wife passed. The house was never updated or changed from the original state. I talk to Marcee on social media often, and she has been so kind and excited to see all of the house updates. She lives in another state, but they are invited to come tour it when we finish!
Marcee shared this story with me about her dad, and she said I could share it with you!
My father only had a fifth grade education. He was one of the last true Stone Masons around and owned his own Stone Quarry in Idaho. He taught a class at Snow College on how to cut and lay real stone, he was on their board of education. He was very proud of that, especially since he got kicked out of school when he was in fifth grade. The principal threw him down the stairs and told him he would never amount to anything. My dad was dyslexic, unfortunately they did not know about dyslexia back then. My dad didn’t let that stop him. He was an example that hard work and determination pay off.
Absolutely love that story, it made me tear up with appreciation for his hard work on creating this home we now live in! We are still waiting on Penny Copper gutters to come in, hopefully end of the month. I will share the full exterior once the gutters are in!
I love it! The black is beautiful against the stone. It looks just perfect.
There was a story on Magnolia similar to Mr. Mackey’s about a man in California.All the more reason to keep it. And it’s just beautiful.
Oh my goodness!! This story made me tear up!! Such a beautiful home!! ❤❤❤
You have to keep the stone!
Keep it .
The stone looks so contemporary with all your updates! And don’t even get me started on that driveway Mr. Mackey did—it’s my favorite part of the house!!
I absolutely love the stone exterior. You have modernized it beautifully. It is so unique! It really does blend perfectly with the environment.
I am glad you waited to see how it would look once you gave her a new outfit! We all deserve a second chance and Mr. Mackey is a perfect example of that with his perseverance and hard work. Just taking out the overgrown shrubs made all the difference in the world! Holy cow, what a gorgeous home.
The rock looks amazing with all your updates that now “Frame” it like the masterpiece that it is! Absolutely love it! I wouldn’t change a thing.
The stone has taken on a sacredness now.
The Penny Copper gutters will be the icing on the cake!
I thought this rock was gorgeous before reading the story. Your added touches only brings out it’s specialness. We can’t always have our own family history or land passed down, so it is really nice that you get to participate in this beautiful history. Excellent job.