@Patricia Colwell Consulting ahh... good point. We were going for a very rustic farmhouse industrial look... but as you say - might be too much. Wood floor and wood ceiling is probably too much...lol

Thanks for your advice!

I don't think it's too much, but then again I love a rustic look. The beams are awesome! However, if you are a modernist, it may be too much.

As for the walls, I'd do true board and batten, which is vertical only. I'd also make sure that the ceiling and flooring are similar colors, like the first photo you posted.

Get rid of the fake beams. The rest is fine.

The board&batten wall finish is a lot of visual messiness, especially on the kneewall ceiling. It's not just in combination with the T&G ceiling and rustic timber, it's all the ceiling/wall variations (too many corners, differing angles, misaligned walls). Just to be clear, board&batten is strictly an exterior sheathing method extracted from farmhouses and barns.

I would suggest an accent wall of a finish that doesn't compete, location that makes sense with the furniture/layout.

@Diana Bier Interiors, LLC Thanks for the advice! what do you mean by "true board and batten"? Do you mean remove the horizontal division on back wall?

Thanks!

@worthy unfortunately the beam is the support structure for the roof. It is not very nice looking -- so we are thinking of wrapping it in hand brushed/sawn wood box. If that makes sense! Thanks for your eye on this! Much appreciated!

@3onthetree Thanks for your insight. Yes agreed... lots of corners and angles and messiness! We had thought of just doing an accent wall. Rusted tin maybe .. oh boy ..lol

And to add to it all... are garage is board and batten on the outside!

Maybe I need to sleep on it all for a few months and go back to the drawing board.. hehe

Thanks again for your input!

I tend to agree that the board and batten would be busy in the space. Not just because of the beams (which are great by the way), ceilings and wood floors, but also because there are so many window and door moldings. It just makes for too many competing vertical and horizontal planes. You can see that the board and batten on this house doesn't have any horizontal boards. It only breaks where the windows, etc. are.

Consider relating the interior's design with the exterior's design, whatever that may be.

Let me clarify what I meant about "true board and batten," which I think of as an exterior sheathing used for barns. It is rough wood with narrow vertical boards like kat's photo above, and how you've described your garage.

We also have it on our garage which we designed to look like a barn. That's why I don't think horizontal boards are appropriate.

Hamptons Beach House · More Info

I'm also confused as to which photos are your place and which are AI? The beams in many of your photos look to be authentic old beams, am I mistaken? Is that why someone referred to your beams as "fake"?

@Diana Bier Interiors, LLC Thanks for the clarification! We also have the board and batten similar on our exterior of the garage (the lower portion) - picture attached. The loft is in the upper level of the garage.

@Diana Bier Interiors, LLC The rustic beams are AI genenerated. We are hoping to have that look when we wrap the existing beams. Below is what the space looks like right now. Crackfilling underway.

Appreciate all of your input! Thanks again!

The flooring in the first pic is so dark. Not a fan of a cave even in a 'man cave'. The ceiling is a show stopper I would not compete with it. Your second pic in the orginal post gives you so much more light given the unfinished flooring is light. That is the brightness I would strive for. In your final pic AI white washed your ceiling. One or the other needs to be lighter, I vote the flooring. The wall trim out is a 50/50 for me. I do think it looks nice even if it seems to be 'a lot'. In the 'finished" pic the walls really recede so it doesn't seem so much.

@Mark Bischak, Architect thanks for the tip... guess that's what we are trying to do with the board and batten -- it's on the exterior. But maybe just bad design all around. We wanted the board and batten look - manufacturers of the pre-made boards won't gaurantee there product here in Atlantic Canada -- had to get creative with alot of details. Got in over our heads and didn't realize the garage was as big as it was until it was done...lol

Thanks for your input!

@Diana Bier Interiors, LLC --- Love your garage design by the way!

@katinparadise thanks for providing the picture and the insight. That does look really clean. I am always saying "it's too much noise" --- I don't like busy distracting lines. Having said that -- I always tend to not want to experiment. I stay in the safe zone..lol

We'll see how this project ends up!

Thanks for chiming in!

@arcy_gw - Really appreciate your perspective of the space! The ceiling actually looks the picture with the plywood floor -- it is Japanese Cedar with a non-toxic wood stain from Valhalco.com -- turns any of the pinky/red/cedar tones a silvery grey/brown. Floor we chose will actually be a bit darker than the ceiling.

Thanks for the advice and your thoughts on it all!

I knew a guy that was building his second log cabin. The first log cabin had all wood floors, all wood walls, and all wood ceilings. His second log cabin had some wood floors, some wood ceilings and drywall walls. He said he got sick of wood with the first log cabin.

@Mark Bischak, Architect -- we too have 3 log cabins. we lived in all 3. All have the same... wood floors, wood walls, wood ceiling, wood stairs, wood furniture, wood by the fireplace..and all in the same stain!! .lol We purchased this "cottage" to have some paint and color contrast where possible. But we do miss the wood. With this project -- we are trying to get the best of both worlds maybe. Our "lodges" are now airbnb rentals.

I totally know what your friend was experiencing!

Thanks for bringing that up though --- it's a good point and certainly gives me something to think about!

Thank you, @whatsoldisnew, for being so gracious and accepting all of our opinions in the spirit in which they were given, which is only to help you with your dilemma. So many here do not have your positive attitude and take umbrage at many of the comments.

Board and batten is generally an exterior finish. By having exterior finishes on the exterior and the interior on the interior, it keeps from waking in a drunken stupor on Saturday morning and seeing board and batten and thinking you fell out the window.

Just wanted to say this is a fun project and hope you keep posting pics as you progress :)

fwiw now that I have seen the ceiling - i’d skip the b&b, but that’s just a me thing

@Diana Bier Interiors, LLC You know what they say - "Everyone sees the world through their own lens—what matters is that we take the time to look through someone else’s, even if just for a moment.”

I really value your perspective (and every voice in the thread) because each one adds a new perspective and something unique.

You don’t know what you don’t know right!

@Mark Bischak, Architect HAHA!! This made me literally laugh out loud!! Still cracking up! Wait until I share this one with my husband.

It's actually his little brew pub up there. (see beer brewing in pic) hehe!

Thanks for yet another thoughtful perspection!! oh my...lol

Before

@la_la Girl It has been a fun project... seems to evolve into something new/different everyday. I've purchased and resold so many light fixtures and pieces of furniture that we though made sense and then didn't (learned a lesson there --- should hold off until it's complete!)

Thanks for your input! Much appreciated!

What is it about the garage loft that makes it be referred to as "Industrial" ?

The original use of board and batten was for the exterior, sealing the board with batten keep out wind and rain. For some unknown reason, it has become an interior design thing, just like the faux shiplap. Ridiculous, IMO. And, certainly, not used in an industrial design.

Industrial?

You can do this with wallpaper. Even though not authentic, it is a much better design choice than faux board and batten.

Brewster Loft Wallpaper FD23287

AI made your ceiling boards wider and much more uniform than your actual ceiling boards. Your actual ceiling has much more movement and variation that could easily contribute to a more chaotic feel. Tone down the variation of your floor boards, and mimimize wall molding to balance things out.

@Mark Bischak, Architect hmmm... well it's a mix I guess... but open space --- we have lots of wood, iron, metal, leather, lighting is like warehouse style... maybe "industrial" is not the right design term.. Industrial/Rustic/Farmhouse...lol

@oncape -- Thanks for the insight and the images!! I wish I had a warehouse space like that first picture!! I really like brick too...and tossed around those ideas. Yep.. probably not so much "Industrial" what we have going on ...lol

Appreciate all of your input! Thank you!

@Kendrah Good eye on you!!! I never noticed that.

Guessing it is doing the same with the floor boards - oh no.

Our flooring sample (standard size approx 2' x 3'?) shows the stain as all the same color.. come to find out it has variation which the sample does not show at all.

Always something that comes up.

Thanks for catching that. Might need to go back to drawing board on flooring.

Hopeing the tone/on tone with all the paint and trims will keep the business there at bay.

Much appreciated!

My gripe about AI is it sprinkles a little fairy dust around to smooth everything out and giving even tones and great lighting. And speaking of lighting ... how are you lighting the space?

I do like your wall treatment on the first pic you posted but without the horizontal pieces. It is a subtle treatment. Gives just enough interest to not be a totally blank wall, and give a bit of an old timey look.

Stage coaches have lots of wood, iron, metal, leather, lighting is like warehouse style.

I like the board and batten with matching sizes all arond and no horizontal break up.

Question - what is the plan for decorativing this man cave? will there be shelving on the walls ? Posters? Pictures of dogs playing poker LOL? A huge TV? pin ball machines? Bookcases? I think if there will be "stuff" on the walls, then I wouldn't do anything. Maybe focus on some cool wall decoration instead of architectural detail.

I also like metal panels or stone work as well!

Please please please post after pics of this place!

@Kendre Scott -- yes! "fairy dust" everywhere. Even added in dogs in some of the renderings. Geeeshhh.

We been to the drawing board a few times with lighting.... we have lots of wiring pans now hidden under the ceiling boards because we just aren't sure yet - But we will be putting up two black ceiling fans with led lights. and one "industrial"style feature light somewhere near the high top. Then some ambient table top fixtures.

Open to suggestions..

@Mark Bischak, Architect Oh yes!! I like stage coaches!! Reminds me of Peaky Blinders! Hope I don't incorporate any tassels or silk drapes! Red velvet...hmmmmm..... now you have me rethinking everything!! lol

I think this is the direction you are leaning in- based upon this AI rendering of yours:

So, I would suggest a large chandelier or two for the space. And the rest- lighting basically at eye level. Table lamps, floor lamps, maybe sconces. And I think that if the large chandelier(s) were in a Rustic style, versus Industrial, per se- imo, it could help to anchor and define the space.

Most AI generated images offer more artificial than intelligence.

I think the space is leaning much more Rustic than Industrial. And I believe this is based upon choices and preferences of the OP and possibly her husband (versus AI just running amok). The other three images I had created quickly with AI, to sort of show the idea of going more Rustic on the chandelier(s).

I think something has to give, if the space is going to make any sense. That said- it’s late Saturday/early Sunday am and I might be “in a drunken stupor” (I do not drink- but anything’s possible.)

@Debbi Washburn oooouuuhhh those are all cool images!!

We have so many things stored -- just got rid of our shuffleboard table.

We will wait to see what goes with the space. Lots of curated items over the years. But it's all a mish mash so we'll have to weed it all out.

We live on a "world famous" Salmon fishing river - with moose, deer, bear and the likes. Love Hockey and all sports and of course --- beer. lol -- We have various "art" pieces to reflect all above -- but probably doesn't all go together!

From your images.. we had thought of incorporating old tin/metal roofing somewhere but that didn't pan out. And we thought of the corrugated metal too. @oncape has got me seriously thinking brick somewhere.

Space is laid out just as you see it above (we were using it while it had the spray foam and pink insulation - we had issues with the spray foam -- it kept shrinking!)

Kitchen area with brew equipment, sleep chest - in case we can't make it back to our cottage...lol, TV Area with projection screen, The table in the foreground is my "art space".

We'll see how it all melds together!

Thanks for your eye on things! Much appreciated!

@freedomplace1 Thanks for this advice - And the visuals!

I totally agree with you! Thinking style is more rustic as well.

And I actually love that style of chandelier! I intentionally left one electrical pan covered just for that someday. Space will evolve I am sure. What started as a "small" project as of a garage beer brewing space has now evolved into a money pit! --lol

And most days -- I know we are just "throwing" everything at the space and nothing seems cohesive right now. Once we get the beer brewing -- maybe things will all meld together..lol

It's hard to see in the images -- but the beam down the length of the space is not on centre like your images. The ceiling slopes more on one side than the other.

Thanks for staying up so late to chime in! Much appreciated :)

@Mark Bischak, Architect --- Good One!

I am betting Architects and Designers these days have lots of challenges with Clients wanting exactly what AI produces! Oh boy!- lol

Love the board and batten

"I am betting Architects and Designers these days have lots of challenges with Clients wanting exactly what AI produces! "

People are loosing their integrity, they are relying on technology that is void of purpose and humanity. Some think artificial intelligence is good, but the true good has existed since the beginning of time.

@kodiac23

Thanks for the vote of confidence!!

Much appreciate it!

@Mark Bischak, Architect

Even Warren Bennis's quote is probably no longer relevant.... as Man and dog will no doubt be robots themselves.

"The factory of the future will have only two employees, a man and a dog. The man will be there to feed the dog. The dog will be there to keep the man from touching the equipment."

It's a whole new world