Ranch-style Home Transformed into Timber Classic

By selecting a timber frame for the addition, which is slightly larger than the original home, Matt says he and his architect were able to incorporate elements that fell in line with Wright's aesthetic. Rather than a typical right-angle design scheme, for example, the home's mixture of web-like beams, steel brackets and tension rods projects a natural, open feeling. "The timber frame fit our specifications to a tee," says Matt, who selected Hamill Creek Timber Homes to provide the timber package. "It was an innovative design," says Dwight Smith, Hamill Creek's president, "but we'd done similar work in the past and were as excited about it as Matt and Clare were." The design team used Douglas fir timber framing that, in the great room, supports 22-foot-high ceilings. Add natural stone and steel brackets to the mix in the main living area, and the Tiffins' modern mountain style comes alive. "The great room feels like you're standing in a forest of trees," says Matt, who selected river rock and stone to round out his vision. Commingling interior and exterior spaces is a large part of the home's functional success, according to Matt. He's quick to point out two prime examples: the barrel-vaulted porte cochere canopy, crafted from 42-foot-long curved, laminated timber plates; and a tower that provides bird's-eye views of the Rockies.  

"A timber home was the only type of structure I hadn't built during my career," says Matt, who first fell in love with the style decades ago while traveling in Europe. A timber home's flexibility also allowed him to apply Wright's design principles, an accomplishment for which he's extremely proud. "We're now able to live in harmony with nature in a spectacular way."

Home Plan Details:

Log Provider: Hamill Creek Timber Homes

Bedrooms: 1

Bathrooms: 3 full, 2 half