You know, I think we are all trying a little to hard to make “green building” work. Today’s building technology, coupled with the age old craft of timber framing, makes being “green” easy. Timber Frames just lend themselves to being green.
David and I had many of the elements of our timber frame home planned long before we broke ground. We even designed our green home around some of the “stuff” we loved.
Saving two bath sinks, a great clawfoot bathtub, and an amazing farm sink from the landfill was a beginning. Reclaiming the tin roof from a chicken house teardown was easy.
Doors…do they really wear out? We don’t think so. All the doors in our home, with the exception of one, had earlier lives in homes between 1850 and 1940. Hinged doors easily became pocket doors and they are charming!
Wood, chestnut and oak, salvaged from teardowns on our property made beautiful cabinetry. You don’t even have to distress them…it’s there.
Windows can be problematic. You don’t want to sacrifice the energy efficiency of new windows by reusing old sash windows. One made a great door for the vanity in the guest bedroom.
Timber frames lend themselves to mirrors with character. We have old mirrors scattered throughout the house.
So, before you bust the budget and trash the landfill, think a little bit about what you love and how it could be incorporated into your new timber framed home. We did and we are so pleased.
