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5 Tips for Planning Your Dream Timber Frame Home

5 Tips for Planning Your Dream Timber Frame Home

So, you’ve made the decision to build your dream timber frame home. Now comes the exciting first step—planning out your timber frame home.

The thought of bringing your vision to life with official, detailed timber frame floor plans can be overwhelming for some. But if you’re working with an experienced, reputable timber frame builder that will take time to listen to your needs and desires, you’ll have an enjoyable experience.

Sam Ebersol, general manager of Mid-Atlantic Timberframes, has spent the last 25 years working in the timber industry. His love for the craft started at a young age while growing up on the family farm and spending time in his grandfather’s woodworking shop. Read on for Sam’s top 5 tips for planning your dream timber frame home plans.

  1. Consider Your Lifestyle: One of the most important steps in planning your home is to consider your lifestyle, and make sure your timber frame home plans complement it. If you enjoy cooking, it makes sense to plan for a larger kitchen area. If you like entertaining, then plan for ample gathering space around your kitchen or dining room area for friends and family. Also think about traffic flow and where your gathering space is in relation to your great room.
  2. Go With the Flow: Most timber frame homes lend themselves to an open floor plan, so it’s important to think of your layout in terms of how you’ll move through your home. Consider a flowing floor plan where the kitchen, dining, and living space is one area that is separated by a heavy wood beam or a floor transition—not walls. Long, narrow walls can impact traffic flow and give your home a tight, cramped feel. Another consideration when it comes to flow, think about what you intend to put in your space—a large table, a special furniture piece, a fireplace, etc.—and design your plan accordingly.
  3. Embrace Natural Light: It’s no secret that people tend to spend more time in the sunnier, brighter spaces of their home. Natural light coming through large windows can lift your mood and bring the beauty and tranquility of the outdoors inside. So think about incorporating lots of windows into your timber frame construction. By strategically placing your windows, you’ll take full advantage of your most-prized outside views—whether it’s a mountaintop, lake, or rolling meadow.
  4. Make Your Rooms Work Together: Get the most out of your rooms’ footprints by having them work together. For example, a room layout can be designed to hide your electrical or HVAC systems. Or, your bathrooms can be “stacked” to hide unsightly plumbing pipes. You can also gain efficiencies in piping/plumbing systems by having your kitchen, laundry room, and/or bathrooms located near each other.
  5. Think About the Future: Your timber frame home is an investment for you and the generations to come. When creating your timber frame home plans, don’t just think about what will suit your immediate needs and lifestyle. Think about the future as well. Design your home so you can “age in place”—meaning you’ll be able to live safely and comfortably there throughout the years. For exterior features, choose durable and low-maintenance materials, like a vinyl-clad or metal door that won’t require repainting. And keep your outside landscaping simple with plants and flowers that won’t need a lot of upkeep. For your home’s interior, consider having the master bedroom suite on the first floor. And think about how you can utilize extra home space down the road. For example, an unfinished basement could be converted to a recreation area or media room for older children or grandchildren.

If you’re ready to make your dream timber frame home plans a reality, we’d welcome the opportunity to see how we can help bring your vision to life and start your planning. Contact us today.

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