Timber frames are stunning, charming, sturdy, energy efficient, sustainable…, but they aren’t for everyone. Many people are drawn to timber frames after first considering a log home. Many have had a lifelong love affair with the craft and the construction of timber frames. Many more are captivated by photos and want the look for their own home.
As much as a timber frame offers (all of the above and much, much more), it doesn’t suit every lifestyle and every taste. Your timber frame home can be designed to be traditional or contemporary and can be any one of the many styles that fall into those categories (Colonial, Cottage, Chalet, Prairie, Victorian, Tudor, Coastal or any other style that pleases your eye). Timber frames can be single story, story and a half or mult-stories. They can sit on concrete slabs, basements, crawlspaces, or piers.
What your timber frame must do, beyond all, is “feel” right for you and the way you live. When you drive up and when you walk into your home, you must have that “aha moment”…every time you come home. If the open floor plans and vaulted ceilings aren’t for you, your architect or timber frame designer can help you to develop a plan that has lower ceilings and a more traditional floor plan. If you want a very contemporary look, that can be designed into your plan. Timber frames offer unlimited space and design options, but if the heavy timbers aren’t attractive to you, then think about building a more conventional home.
Don’t build a timber frame so it will look like a photo you admired. Build a timber frame only if you will love it and enjoy your time in it. Build a timber frame only if your heart is in it. Then, whatever style you chose, your new home will be right for you.
That said, I’ll sign off for now.
