TODAY'S CUSTOM HOME

Autumn 2001  "Timber Frame Homes Take Advantage of Views"

When one Carolina family purchased their perfect lot, it came with a feature they wanted to preserve - a magnificent Dogwood laden with white blossoms. They wanted to site their custom home so the tree would provide needed shade for the deck and they could look out the window and treasure the view as the Dogwood changed with the seasons and over the years.

The residence they chose to serve both needs was a timber frame home from Timberpeg Carolina. The request to design a home around a shade tree was nothing new to Independent Timberpeg Representative Bruce Hafley. "I’ve designed homes around how the sun passes over a lot; around whether clients want morning sun in their bedroom or in their breakfast area. I’ve designed homes to take advantage of mountain or lake views and around views clients are trying not to take advantage of - like a neighbor’s house."

Timber frame homes are well-suited to showcase magnificent vistas. Hafley develops sketches of each home based on clients’ needs and after visits to their lots. "It involves going out to the site and understanding which features are important to them. Is it the view? Is it preserving a shade tree?" After refining the designs, Hafley’s clients typically pay another visit to the site. "They may go stand at the lot with the plan in their hands and say, ‘I’m standing in the living room now’." That process allows them to visualize the placement of rooms and the views from inside.

A Timberpeg home incorporates views and natural elements beautifully. The most obvious way it does so is through the timber frame itself. "The allure is the natural beauty of the wood. The character of the wood is different in every piece," Hafley says. The timbers can be made as ornate or as contemporary as the designer’s vision allows.

The timber frame and posts support the weight of the structure, which allows great flexibility in the placement of walls and windows. "Since the outside wall isn’t load-bearing, windows can be placed along the whole length of a side. In a wooded setting, you often feel like you’re sitting in the woods. Since the windows on these walls are separated with timbers, the vertical timber posts mimic the trees - thus enhancing the effect," Hafley says.

Expansive walls of windows that overlook magnificent views are common features of timber frame homes. "They’re usually built by someone who wants to take advantage of views, whether they are lakefront, mountains, open rural farmland or rolling hills," he says.

Timber frame design doesn’t end at the windows, however. "Often we extend the timber- frame outside to include front porches, gazebos and screened porches. The accurate cuts required to join the intricate angles really showcase the fine craftsmanship of a timber frame."

When planning a home to take advantage of views, there are two main things to consider: location and the design of its elements. "Many lake homes have an impressive deck, but the deck needs to take advantage of outdoor living spaces and vistas without impeding the indoor views. A lot of people have a nice big deck off the great room with a thick railing, but when you look out from inside, all you see is the railing, especially when you’re looking down at something like a lake," he says. Such mistakes can be avoided by considering interior views during the design process.

With proper planning and design expertise, timber frame owners can experience the beauty of nature even when the chilly winds of autumn begin to blow. All they have to do is look through a wall of windows and timbers that are as intricate and beautiful as nature’s own handiwork.

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