A client once said, when discussing the type of roof structure that he wanted to see in his log home, “The hat must match the shoes.” What he meant to say was that “ the hat and the shoes” should
complement
the ensemble, and in doing so should
complement
each other. The same principle would apply to the choice of umbrella, belt, jewelry, etc. “
Complement
”... not “Duplicate”.
In this instance he was expressing his belief that the large pine logs used in the walls of the log home’s main level, should be used in the visible roof support elements i.e. log purlins, trusses, posts, rafters, dormer framing, gables and so on.
It is my firm belief that it is seldom the correct choice to make the hat and shoes out of the same material as the suit. This applies to the belt, the jewelry, the umbrella, etc. A log home does not have to be made entirely , or even primarily, out of logs... Or for that matter out of wood standing alone. Unnecessarily expensive and Boring!
You will not see stone exterior walls, stone interior walls, stone floors, stone ceilings, stone window trim, stone furniture, stone roof support, stone fireplaces, stone everything! in any building, except for a cold, dark, dreary castle from the distant past. Why would we think that in this respect, wood is any different than stone, or for that matter, brick or drywall, or any other single building material ?
A key to designing the best in Modern Log Homes is to remember that too much of a good thing is too much. Moderation in all things is to be preferred over excess. The logs in a Modern Log Home are an important part of the design; they are not all of the design.
Click on the photo to see more design ideas.
Too much wood!
1-800-590-0440 Oshawa, Ontario. Canada.
