Floor Plan Problem Solvers

 

 

In log and timber home design, there are a few characteristics that appeal to their future owners more than those who are into conventional housing styles. Soaring ceilings, tons of glass and a web of exposed trusses are features you see in the majority of log and timber structures, and as spectacular as they are, they can present some challenges. These practical solutions will help you avoid potential pitfalls.

While this dramatic feature enables you to open your home up to a magnificent view during the day, at night, with the lights on inside, it can become a humongous, dark mirror.

Incorporate lighting into your landscape. A well-lit path, uplighting playing off the trees and spotlights illuminating architectural features, you will provide a visible nighttime focal point.

It’s tempting to create dramatic soaring spaces in a log or timber home, but two-story-tall walls can feel uncomfortable if the floor area of the room is much smaller than its volume.

A strategically placed loft or catwalk will visually lower the space to more comfortable levels without losing any of the grandeur of the vaulted ceiling.

Exposed rafters, beams and trusses are a big draw and a primary reason why people fall in love with log and timber homes in the first place. But too many trusses or a web of posts and beams can be more of a distraction than an enhancement.

To create visual harmony, trusses should be aligned with the natural flow and room divisions. This will allow you to “define” spaces within an open-concept plan without inserting actual walls.