Ok, so you have built a timber frame home. The exposed posts and beams, the great room WOW factor, timber frame components and expansive views look spectacular! This is exactly what you had hoped for! Now the big question is:

How do I decorate my timber frame home?

There are several things to consider when decorating a timber frame home. First, there is a lot of open space with dramatic heights in several of the designs.

What kind of furniture will best suit the great room for instance? Do I need big furniture for big space? What do I do when there is no wall for the back of my couch or sofa? Positioning furniture will help you create more intimate spaces within the larger space.

Use the key design elements as focal points in the room (big windows, fireplace, trusses for example).

The use of flat ceilings in the kitchen or dining room will soften the impact of the cathedral ceiling in an adjacent room. The positioning and use of lighting will also make the space appear to be more cozy.

Second you need to consider how much wood is too much wood? Too much wood can be overpowering. Depending on your taste, softening the timber structure by staining or whitewashing works well, drywall between posts softens but enhances the wood qualities and your choice of flooring also can be used to create the perfect effect of your timber frame structure in comfortable cozy quiet spaces.

Many people like the contemporary look in furniture and that look can be used effectively in a timber frame home.

Metal and wood have always been used in harmony and you can achieve a great room with this combination. Metal can be used in the timber joinery, railings can be built in iron or steel, kitchen appliances can be used in a heavy timber kitchen and contemporary tables and decorative pieces will work well with timbers.

Break up wood flooring with throw rugs, especially where you are creating intimate spaces with furniture or near focal points in a room. Stone or tile flooring in different colour combinations and finishing textures enhance the beauty of the timbers but can be an attraction on their own.

Islands in the kitchen or eating areas can also break up the space effectively.

There is a danger of blowing your budget when decorating the space created by your magnificent timber frame home. Set a realistic budget for your decorating project. Get some help from an interior decorator. These folks can help. After all you may not need to have a giraffe in the hall way of your Normerica home (although this one is pretty cool!)