Lighting a timber frame home has a few specifics you may not find in other homes. Having just done one myself, I’ve discovered the use of chandeliers, track lighting, up lighting, pendant lights, wall sconces, floor lamps and table lamps were all necessary for properly lighting different areas of my carriage house. Here are 3…
Here’s a virtual video of my Carriage House. This was created as we finished the design phase at Yankee Barn Homes to help us get a feel for the interior. We’re thrilled with how the 5ft kneewalls give us an intimate feeling of space on the second floor. Enjoy! [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-XhtQp1H34] Want more information about Yankee Barn Homes?…
Planked kitchen ceiling by Yankee Barn Homes One of the beauties of a timber frame home is the gorgeous planked ceiling contrasting with the beams. It really complements what a post and beam house is all about. But the 2 ½” planks used by some builders for second floors leave the homeowner with quite…
The other day I asked a friend of mine what would be important to her should she design a house at this stage of her life. Her response was so funny I asked her to write it down. Here she is in her own words: “First, I feel that I must admit something: the…
Lesson # 7: If Structure Matters, Aesthetics Are Paramount. This is where I’m probably going to insult some people and those who know me will never believe it, but tossing insults and sarcasm around is truly not my objective; at least not here. That being said, I have strong opinions on aesthetics in general and…
Lesson # 6: Structure Matters. The beauty of post and beam design is the number of options you have. The structure may be designed using either interior bearing walls when privacy is desired or a simple bearing post where openness is what you want. Instead of an entire wall, a post will suffice. This is…
Lesson # 5: Make It a Collaborative Effort: aka The Poker Game. As the women, I once believed I had exclusivity over all things aesthetic of our new post and beam home. My husband could have his indoor garage faucets, car attachments for the central vacuum and even a recycling shed. No problem. But…
Lesson # 4: Be Ready To Compromise. No matter how prepared you are, how many budgets you’ve formulated, or how many times you’ve reviewed the numbers, changes will occur that you never saw coming. Some may even turn out to provide you with a better structure than you’d have thought possible, but all will…
Lesson # 3: Know what you need. Know what you want. Consider interior & exterior. Bring pictures. This will assist both you and your designer/planner (whether it’s an architect or a post and beam design specialist) immensely. People often know the amount of money they’re willing to spend but many don’t really know how they’d…
I love magazines for design ideas! The Design Dilemma: 7 Lessons Learned When my husband and I agreed to build a new home, I knew it would be a post and beam. In the last few years I’d become more familiar with the post and beam style through work, overseeing quite a few…
I must confess: I’ve not always been a fan of the boys and their over the top opulence. But you know what they say about those who come late to something. I’m so pathetic; I decorated my home without consciously realizing I was totally creating a Louis XVI French Country Look. How sad is that?…
A really cute “Not So Big” post & beam house It seems that everyday, all day, we are hearing about this tough economic climate and how we should conserve. Last night, I ran across my dog-tattered copy of a remarkable design book, The Not So Big House by Sarah Susanka, which discusses simplifying and reducing…