Decisions, Decisions
Making decisions about bedrooms for log or timber frame homes is no different in some ways than for any home. Decisions like how many bedrooms, what size each room will be and whether there will be an adjacent bathroom are basic. However, for log and timber homeowners, there are a number of design options that would seldom be considered with a traditionally built home.
“Design of a bedroom is a direct reflection of how the homeowner perceives the space,” observed Melissa Copas, a designer with Honest Abe for more than 20 years. “Bedrooms tend to be considered functional rooms were people sleep or personal spaces of refuges and relaxation.”
Copas said that just because a bedroom is designed for pure functionality, it does not mean that aesthetics must be sacrificed.
“Choices of windows, lighting, interior walls, ceiling treatment, flooring and even the log style itself can add to the beauty of a small bedroom or guest room,” she said. “We’ve done some very creative things with small spaces in vacation homes and children’s rooms.”
Bedroom Trends
In recent years the incorporation of a small office has become prevalent for those who extend their work space into the bedroom. More bedrooms are featuring fireplaces and sitting areas. Doors opening onto a deck, porch or patio – often private – are an increasingly common feature.
“We have homeowners who orient their home and make choices about windows based solely on the view they wish to see as they rise in the morning or relax in the evening,” Copas said.
The height created by log and timber roof systems lends itself to the option of a mezzanine in some bedrooms. This additional vertical space has been creatively claimed for such uses as reading nook and small library, a celestial observation point and a computer alcove.
“One of the great advantages of fashioning bedroom space is that with interior walls, there are several options,” Copas said. “There’s sheetrock, wood, timber frame or a combination of materials that can achieve a look entirely different from the predominately wood areas of the more open rooms of the house.”
Copas has selected photos of some of the bedrooms created by Honest Abe customers to illustrate how the most personal room of a home can be stunningly beautiful and relaxing.
By Claudia Johnson, Honest Abe Log Homes
Download an article from Timber Home Living about bedroom design.
Design of a bedroom is a direct reflection of how the homeowner perceives the space.
– Melissa Copas, Honest Abe Designer
