Photo Credit: Davis Timberframe
What draws us to a timber frame home? The obvious answer is the look of the house and the feelings it stirs, whether it’s a grand home with sweeping lines and exposed beams or a modest cabin remarkable for the warmth and coziness you feel when first you spy it nestled among the trees.
With your average stick-built house, beauty may only be skin-deep, but timber frames are thoroughly crafted, versatile homes, and your initial impression is only the beginning of the story. Though their roots are centuries old, timber frames are ready for the demands of modern life. They are naturally energy efficient, and many timber framers have embraced techniques in both design and construction that make it possible for a home to achieve net-zero energy usage. Timber frames can be enhanced to be very efficient passive-energy homes, often by following simple design guidelines, like orienting the house so the south face can absorb the sun’s warmth between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and taking advantage of the open floor plan designs that optimize the function of a passive system.
Timber homes also fit easily into neighborhoods, even those with rigid HOA covenants. While timber frames are striking, they possess an aesthetic that appeals to even the most conservative HOA: clean lines, rich yet subtle wood tones, and the capacity to adapt to any design standard. And, though your timber frame may have to meet strict community requirements with regard to its exterior, the interior need only meet your vision. The options for interior space design, layout, and finishes are limited only by your imagination.
As you build your timber frame home, you’ll likely discover the greatest benefit of all: working with craftspeople who take as much pride in the construction of your home as you will in living in it. Owners of timber frames remark on the people who build their homes, noting their care and precision, and attention to design and detail. And timber framers remember every client, often counting them among their lifelong friends — a friendship founded in the discovery of a shared passion for beautiful, handcrafted homes.
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The Art of Hybrid Timber Framing
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