STYLES & PLANS

COTTAGE & LAKE

The focus here is scenic views and spaces that are especially tailored for relaxing and socializing. The great room’s exterior wall features lots of windows and larger doors to maximize views and allow easy access to decks and lakefront. Lofts overlooking the great room are common. The master bedroom and ensuite are typically spacious and have amenities to rival those found in well-appointed homes. Secondary bedrooms tend to be smaller, both to conserve on total space but also as a realization that guests spend most of their non-sleeping hours in the living spaces and in recreational activities. Cottage kitchens are social centers and are often large, allowing more people to gather, for food prep and sharing meals.

CONTEMPORARY

This style emphasizes simple and refined lines and is most commonly executed with little or no ornamentation. Timber braces are used sparingly, if at all, and where they are used they will be straight. A sub-genre known as “Industrial” will make use of metal straps, brackets, and plates for timber to timber connections. Roofs are often mono-slope at pitches of 4/12 or less and large overhangs and dramatic cantilevers are more common.

RUSTIC

Also known in some circles as “Mountain” or “Lodge” this style makes maximum use of natural materials and often highlights wood elements that are hewn, distressed or rough sawn. Ornamentation with curved braces, decorative corbels, and carved work is common. Live edge timber and log features give the sense that the building materials are handcrafted, local and connected to the natural setting of the home. Third gables, pitch and shed dormers, bracketed overhangs and large entry porches are all used to create visual variety and the sense of shelter and coziness one associates with a wilderness home.

POST & BEAM

More of an approach to connection details rather than a clearly defined style, post and beam became the dominant way to construct with timber in the latter half of the 1800’s. Rather than using traditional joinery, requiring the use of specialized skills and tools, connections were made with iron fittings that could be produced in quantity. Today, this approach can help to reduce the cost of a timber design and is especially suited to contemporary and urban aesthetics.

LANDSCAPE

Pergolas, sunrooms, gazebos, boathouses, bridges, arbors, outdoor kitchens… Timber is perfect for creating spaces that can both inspire and calm. Good design, breathable finishes and a better understanding of how to defend wood from decay means that timbers can serve in weather exposed settings for decades.

COMMERCIAL

Big timbers can make big impressions while providing large open spaces for people to gather for meals, entertainment or shopping. Natural materials like wood and stone can provide a stronger sense of place and emotional connection than non-natural materials. Park shelters, event halls, civic centers and restaurants are just a few of the uses where timber provides a quality of experience that is hard to match.