Timber Frame Great Room
Family room - family room idea in Raleigh

Timber frame homes offer unique challenges during a remodel. What often makes them beautiful and attractive to most homeowners, also makes them challenging for space requirements. Context: The lovely couple that owned this home were struggling with some interesting floor plan challenges that just didn't work for their family. The loved the beautiful timbers and woodwork of their home, but the dramatically sloping ceilings on the second floor, particularly in the bathroom, just didn't work for this 1 1/2 bath home. Needing to use the skylight to approach the toilet was a less then ideal scenario. Although the bathroom footprint was more then adequate, the sloped ceiling only made half of the space useable. Check out the Before/After post on our blog to see the photos of the house pre-renovation. As much as they loved all the wood features in their home, another challenge they had was light. The wood ceiling made everything inside the house darker, even with a fantastic array of south facing windows, there were spaces in the home that felt dark and small. When they contacted us they wanted to know how could they make their brighter and more inviting, were there solutions to the 2nd floor sloped ceiling issues, and if they were going to do all of this work, how could they make their home more comfortable and efficient. A nagging water leak in the upstairs bathroom spurred them into action and here is how we solved their dilemma. Conclusion: First, we added a little dormer to the rear of the house so we could get full headroom in nearly all of the upstairs bathroom! Then we decided to extend that dormer one more timber bay over to create a walk in closet with natural light and plenty of space. Since we were contemplating energy efficiency, we resolved a nagging issue that is present in a lot of timber frame construction, air tightness. Commonly found in timber frame construction, fiberglass insulation is installed in the rafter bays and board ceilings are installed over top. Unfortunately, board ceilings are anything but air tight, and fiberglass insulation needs to be in an airtight cavity for maximum effectiveness. So we were able to solve two issues at the same time for this homeowner. We removed the board ceiling and fiberglass insulation, we dense packed the rafter bays with cellulose insulation, and installed sheetrock in place of the boards. The boards were salvaged for re-use by the homeowner, and the space and light quality was dramatically improved. Some may think that losing the board ceiling took something away from the space, but what you'll see in the pictures is that it highly accentuates the heavy timbers and really makes them stand out in a beautiful way. Now with this added airtightness, better insulation, and brighter space, the homeowner hardly runs their wood stove, and it's so quiet in the space, an added bonus from changing the insulation. It became necessary to also add a sheetrock ceiling to the living room to hide the plumbing from the new bathroom layout above. Changing this ceiling gave the homeowner some real quality lighting that was lacking in the living room before. The brighter ceiling and new lighting layout completely transforms the living room into a space you want to hang out, even though the layout didn't change at all. When the homeowner saw the finished spaces she said "I can't believe this is my house, I want to live in this house" Energy Efficiency: I touched a little on the efficiency above, but like all projects done with Mottram Architecture, we always want to leave you with a little extra. Timber frame construction with board ceilings and fiberglass insulation are notoriously leaky! If you want to know what we think about fiberglass insulation, check our our blog post on Why Fiberglass Insulation Sucks. By installing cellulose insulation and covering it with sheetrock we were able to greatly reduce the heat flowing out of this home. It not only improves cashflow it improves the comfort level in the space. Who wants to sit in their living room and feel a draft? Let us remind you, we are not saying cellulose insulation is an air barrier, we use the sheetrock to help with that, but it does significantly reduce the air flow over fiberglass insulation. And when we reduce the airflow, we reduce the heat flow. And when we reduce the heat flow, we reduce the need to re-heat that drafty air from outside. When it comes to energy efficiency the first and best place to start is air infiltration. We greatly reduced the air infiltration with the new insulation, but we also added a hat and warm boots. What I mean by that is, we improved the insulation in the roof, and we installed insulation in the basement. Maybe it's a silly analogy, but when you think about keeping warm, we always start with the hat and boots! With sustainability in mind, the next project will be to add a deck to the front of this house with rain catchment barrels from the metal roof. They are planning to plant a garden in the spring and the rain catchment system will help to irrigate the new garden. Builder: East Shore Builders Photographer: Michael Eric Berube

Shrock Premier Custom Construction often partners with Oakbridge Timber Framing to create memorable homes reflecting time honored traditions, superior quality, and rich detail. This stunning timber frame lake front home instantly surrounds you with warmth and luxury. The inviting floorplan welcomes family and friends to gather in the open concept kitchen, great room, and dining areas. The home caters to soothing lake views which span the back. Interior spaces transition beautifully out to a covered deck for comfortable outdoor living. For additional outdoor fun, Shrock Construction built a spacious walk-out patio with a firepit, a hot tub area, and plenty of space for seating. The luxurious lake side master suite is on the main level. The fully timber framed lower level is certainly a favorite gathering area featuring a bar area, a sitting area with a fireplace , a game area, and sleeping quarters. Guests can also sleep in comfort on the top floor. The amazing exposed timers showcase the craftsmanship invested into this lovely home and its finishing details reflect the high standards of Shrock Premier Custom Construction. Fred Hanson

Shrock Premier Custom Construction often partners with Oakbridge Timber Framing to create memorable homes reflecting time honored traditions, superior quality, and rich detail. This stunning timber frame lake front home instantly surrounds you with warmth and luxury. The inviting floorplan welcomes family and friends to gather in the open concept kitchen, great room, and dining areas. The home caters to soothing lake views which span the back. Interior spaces transition beautifully out to a covered deck for comfortable outdoor living. For additional outdoor fun, Shrock Construction built a spacious walk-out patio with a firepit, a hot tub area, and plenty of space for seating. The luxurious lake side master suite is on the main level. The fully timber framed lower level is certainly a favorite gathering area featuring a bar area, a sitting area with a fireplace , a game area, and sleeping quarters. Guests can also sleep in comfort on the top floor. The amazing exposed timers showcase the craftsmanship invested into this lovely home and its finishing details reflect the high standards of Shrock Premier Custom Construction. Fred Hanson

Dining Room to Kitchen
Example of a dining room design in Raleigh

The basement kitchen is perfect for entertaining.
Example of a basement design in Raleigh

Example of a classic patio design in DC Metro

Sanderson Photography, Inc.
Open concept kitchen - large rustic l-shaped medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen idea in Other with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, wood countertops, stainless steel appliances, two islands and wood backsplash

Corner cabinets are not always the most functional spaces. Here we utilized the space for an appliance garage and brought the cabinets down to the counter.

This kitchen has beautiful hardwood floors, granite on countertops and island. The glass mosaic tile backsplash complements the stainless steel appliances, while the tubular pendant lighting and recessed can lighting keeps the kitchen warm and inviting.

Great Room, Kitchen, Dining Area. Timber Frame by Trestlewood and Woodhouse Post and Beam. Design and build, interiors and furnishings by Trilogy Partners. Photos Roger Wade

The design of this home was driven by the owners’ desire for a three-bedroom waterfront home that showcased the spectacular views and park-like setting. As nature lovers, they wanted their home to be organic, minimize any environmental impact on the sensitive site and embrace nature. This unique home is sited on a high ridge with a 45° slope to the water on the right and a deep ravine on the left. The five-acre site is completely wooded and tree preservation was a major emphasis. Very few trees were removed and special care was taken to protect the trees and environment throughout the project. To further minimize disturbance, grades were not changed and the home was designed to take full advantage of the site’s natural topography. Oak from the home site was re-purposed for the mantle, powder room counter and select furniture. The visually powerful twin pavilions were born from the need for level ground and parking on an otherwise challenging site. Fill dirt excavated from the main home provided the foundation. All structures are anchored with a natural stone base and exterior materials include timber framing, fir ceilings, shingle siding, a partial metal roof and corten steel walls. Stone, wood, metal and glass transition the exterior to the interior and large wood windows flood the home with light and showcase the setting. Interior finishes include reclaimed heart pine floors, Douglas fir trim, dry-stacked stone, rustic cherry cabinets and soapstone counters. Exterior spaces include a timber-framed porch, stone patio with fire pit and commanding views of the Occoquan reservoir. A second porch overlooks the ravine and a breezeway connects the garage to the home. Numerous energy-saving features have been incorporated, including LED lighting, on-demand gas water heating and special insulation. Smart technology helps manage and control the entire house. Greg Hadley Photography

kitchendesigns.com Kitchen Designer: Ken Kelly at Kitchen Designs by Ken Kelly, Inc. Interior Designer: Andrew Petronio of K A Design Group
Inspiration for a transitional kitchen remodel in New York with metallic backsplash, an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets and stainless steel appliances

We hear so often " I love a Timber Frame, but I would never want something so rustic". It's a completely valid concern. However, while historically timber frames have been quite rustic, we're incorporating timbers in many different ways and in many different styles now. Maybe timbers can be incorporated into your dream build after all?

Renovated kitchen featuring the existing timber framing and beams.
Mid-sized transitional l-shaped light wood floor and beige floor kitchen photo in Boston with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface countertops, stainless steel appliances, an island, black countertops and window backsplash

This charming Lyon Park house was built in 1925, when the typical kitchen was small, modest and closed-off from the rest of the home. For a family that loves to cook and bake, the cramped, outdated and dysfunctional kitchen was a source of constant frustration. Our new design expanded the kitchen into an adjacent sunroom, opening it up to the rest of the home and creating a spacious, light and updated kitchen that now serves as the heart of the home. We more than doubled the amount of countertop space and added much needed pantry storage as well as a dedicated coffee nook. The bold blue herringbone backsplash, honed black granite, white shaker cabinets and substantial matte black pulls complement the rustic modern style of the adjoining living space.

Photo By: Bill Alexander The Open Floor Plan Of This Timber Frame Makes For Memorable Entertaining & Great People Watching From The Overlook Loft
Example of a mid-sized mountain style galley medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen design in Milwaukee with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Reclaimed original patina hand hewn © Carolina Timberworks
Large mountain style galley ceramic tile enclosed kitchen photo in Charlotte with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, porcelain backsplash and an island

Designed by Nathan Taylor of Obelisk Home - Photos by Jeremy Mason McGraw
Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized cottage u-shaped light wood floor eat-in kitchen idea in Other with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, black cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula, quartz countertops and white countertops