Entertaining is Easy with An Open Floor Plan

How many of you can relate to entertaining family and friends and never feeling like you have enough room? I'm pretty sure all homeowners have experienced this at least once in their lifetime and with modern design trends you don't have to worry anymore! More houses are being built with spacious and open floor plans and older homes are going under renovation to create open free flowing spaces. It's no wonder why open spaces are popular, even in a small home, the space feels larger and can accommodate more people.

Most of our client's timber frame and post and beam homes feature an open concept floor plan. Once you've experienced an open plan, you will never want to go back to the traditional cut up floor plans that many older homes feature. Not only do open floor plans make entertaining easier, but it also allows the homeowner to interact with guests easily when the rooms flow together, especially if you like to cook and don't want to miss out on socializing with your dinner guests!

Check out some of our client's open concept timber frame homes for inspiration:

This open concept kitchen and dining room opens up into the great room.

The Mascoma timber frame great room is semi separate from the kitchen and dining room, but features a spacious entryway to create a nice open and airy space. 

This timber frame home in Oregon  features a nice spacious layout on the first floor. 

Our famous Classic Barn Home feels nice an airy with the open concept layout and dramatic cathedral ceiling with the cupola above. 

This modernized Classic Colonial home features an open floor plan unlike the traditional colonials built in previous years. 

This Vermont timber frame home features an open concept kitchen and dining area; a small wall creates a barrier to the great room, but still allows this open space to flow easily into the great room.

Are you ready to start designing your custom post and beam home with an open concept layout? We'd love to discuss your new home project with you. Contact us today to speak with one of our project coordinators! 1-800-636-0993. 

Timber Home Living in the Georgia Mountains

A few years back, we worked with a wonderful couple to help them design and build their dream timber frame vacation home in the mountains of Georgia. The couple started out with our Classic Homestead 1 floor plan as an inspiration and modified it to create a home that met their wants and needs.

This timber frame home features 2,117 square feet and a nice open concept timber frame great room, dining room and kitchen. To the right of the main living area is a guest suite equipped with a walk-in closet and a spacious bathroom connected. This guest suite could easily become the master bedroom in the future if the homeowners wish.

The second floor features an open lofted office space and the spacious master bedroom suite. Off of the bedroom is a balcony where the homeowners can enjoy their beautiful countryside view when they wake up.

Also included is a basement level garage that features space for 2 cars on one side and the other side features finished space for the homeowners art studio.

A view of the interior timber framing and loft space.

Using a walk-out basement and garage worked perfectly for this sloping lot.

The homeowners created a fire pit in their backyard to enhance entertaining friends on a warm evening.

Eventually, the homeowners plan to use their timber frame home as their retirement home. For now, they just enjoy escaping to the Georgia mountains to enjoy timber home living at its best, nestled in the countryside with plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy. 

To learn more about our timber frame homes, call us today at 1-800-636-0993!

New Timber Frame Barn Under Construction in Hudson Valley New York

Barn and garage project under construction in the Hudson Valley region of New York

Check out our latest project, a new timber frame barn and garage under construction in Hudson Valley New York! The barn and garage are made up of two structures that will connect together to form an L shape. The barn dimensions are 20'X41' and the garage is 24'X36'. The barn/garage was built using both our timber frame product and panelized structural wall system.

The garage is designed to host two cars and a wine room; the garage will also connect to the existing home on the property. The main level of the barn will host the tractor and other around the house tools as well as additional space for another car.

The second floor of the barn is timber framed and features 2 hammer beam trusses and 2 queen post trusses. The second floor living area will be divided into two spaces, a dance studio on one half and a working studio on the second half; also to be included on the second floor is a full sized bathroom. We are certain that the homeowners will love this new space!

Panelized wall installation

The majority of the esips panelized walls are installed

The barn/garage will connect to the existing house

The timbers for the second floor of the barn are assembled and ready to be raised into place

The timber frame raising is complete, now the crew will finish the panel installation

We will have more photos to share of this timber frame barn project soon! To stay up to date, visit our timber frame photo gallery. Interested in building a barn or new home using our panelized home or timber frame system? Call us today at 1-800-636-0993, we'd love to speak with you about your upcoming project.

Creating Your Dream Master Bedroom Suite

Timber framed master bedroom     

Are you planning your new master bedroom suite? Whether you are in the process of building a new home or renovating your existing, planning your master bedroom is important for yourself and for the resale value of your home. For example, if you are building a master bedroom addition, you will create a higher return on investment by adding an attached bathroom and walk-in closet.

Modern day master bedrooms have become more than just a place to sleep and homeowners are requesting their master bedroom to be a multi-purpose area. The majority of our clients who are planning a new timber frame master bedroom are including full sized en-suite bathrooms and large walk-in closets equipped with shelving and drawers. Some of our clients have taken their master bedroom space a step further by adding a sitting area with a fireplace and some have included office space in their master bedroom suite. Access to the outdoor deck and patio have also become increasingly popular.

Below are a few design questions to ask yourself as you plan your new master bedroom:

Do you want to add an attached bathroom and walk-in closet to your master? If you add anything to your master bedroom area, the attached bathroom is the most important! 

Are you going to take advantage of your site's views? If your land has spectacular views, make sure the master bedroom takes advantage of them (along with your great room area). 

Contemplating adding a fireplace and sitting area in your master bedroom? Although this is not a necessity, it sure would be nice, especially in the harsh New England climate. If you are building a timber frame vacation home in the mountains, this will definitely increase the value of your home.

Do you want a cathedral ceiling in the master bedroom? This adds depth and will give your bedroom a more dramatic look. 

Do you want a deck off of your bedroom? This is a hot trend right now, especially if you have waterfront property.

If you want to build a timber frame or post and beam addition equipped with a new master suite, give us a call at 800-636-0993 today! We have worked with quite a few clients who have added a timber frame addition that has included a master suite.

Create Your Own Backyard Oasis

 One family's backyard retreat.

Dreaming of a backyard oasis? Your dream backyard could be just a "stones throw" away. Homeowners are creating backyards that are more than just a space where they mow their lawns and are focusing on creating backyard escapes. We have a few ideas of how you can create your own zen backyard. Read our tips below:

Do you have a backyard patio or deck? If not, this is the first step to creating your own outdoor retreat. Build a patio or deck large enough to host patio furniture (factor in adding a patio table and maybe some outdoor furniture) and if you love flowers, make sure to create enough space to feature a few arrangements of potted plants.

Our next tip? Add character to your patio through lighting, such as these cute solar lights pictured to the right. If your patio is ground level, you can easily add these. Outdoor hurricane lanterns are also a must and really add to a space. Just by adding nice patio furniture, lighting and outdoor accents, this will take your space from boring to great!  Check out Pottery Barn's outdoor lights for ideas.

Do you plant a vegetable and/or flower garden every year? Why not turn your garden into your own tranquil place to relax? Add slate or brick to create a path to your very own outdoor escape. I also highly recommend adding a bench near your garden. There is something peaceful about sitting by your garden that takes the days stress away. Also, adding garden accents such as the garden windmill pictured to the left or garden figurines are a great way to jazz up your garden.

For those of you looking to do a major backyard transformation think about what the purpose of your backyard space will be. Do you want to use your backyard for summer entertaining? A personal zen garden? Or do you want a multi-functional backyard?

One of our clients in Massachusetts created a truly remarkable space with a timber framed pergola and 2 garden pavilions. This outdoor space was designed and built as a place to relax for the homeowners. The timber pavilions each feature a seating area to retreat to.There is no need to take a vacation to relax, their backyard has been transformed into a zen space. Check out the photos below:

This timber frame pergola was built on stone pillars and was painted so that it won't weather in the harsh New England climate.

There are 2 timber frame pavilions in the backyard and each is equipped with a bench. What a great place to escape to read a good book. 

Looking for more outdoor space ideas? Check out HGTV's Gorgeous Landscapes slideshow. 

Timber framing isn't just limited to homes, let us help you create your special space. If you want to learn more about building a timber frame pergola or garden shed, call us today at 800-636-0993!