For many people exposed beams are part of the cultural heritage. It all started out millennia ago on really humble terms due to the fact that the builders had no means (or no immediate need) of hiding structural elements like beams. Today it is in the fashion. If you’re selling a house and saying it has “rustic beams exposed”, it’s for sure that the buyers will wanna have a look. Let’s check different lovely beams all around the world.
I think the highlight of this collection is the blue ceiling of an 18th century townhouse in Riga, Latvia. Beams are just a part of the whole ceiling design that involves natural wood dyes and carving. Great to see something like this preserved till nowadays.
As you can see, English and Spanish traditional rustic style is quite different. Although the English variant looks neater, Spanish one is greener. Old Spanish builders are known for their “straight from the forest” building method. You get a bit of timber and just plonk it onto the build without wasting anything. It’s not to everyone’s taste, though.
Look at this neat American hunter’s cottage. The wooden bits are enhanced with oil or beeswax. It gives the whole interior a nice subtle gloss. It is both green and looks perfect.
Fo a more dramatic look consider curved beams or a touch of Arts and Crafts. As long as Arts and Crafts movement is concerned in architecture, it doesn’t get better than Greene and Greene.
The real fad today is so-called faux beams. In their initial execution you cannot help but hate them because the majority of them are made from polyurethane. Sooo bad for the environment! But wait, faux items can be made from reclaimed barn sidings or unwanted wooden planks. For some people using faux is the only way to get that rural feel into their modern rooms, so why not? As long as the material is green.
If you want to learn about making your own reclaimed wood beams, there’s a rough guide on ehow. Approach with due diligence and with safety in mind. If faux beams are not fixed properly, they can end up on somebody’s head.
All pics are being used for educational purposes. Courtesy of:
http://www.gamblehouse.org/archives
http://www.usc.edu/dept/architecture/greeneandgreene/157.html
http://www.paulandliz.org
http://www.sullivanconstructioninc.com
http://www.fauxwoodbeams.com
I actually really love beams in architecture and real estate. They are great accentuate when shooting real estate photography! Interesting about the “Faux Beams” I mean why not right?
I personally love the use of reclaimed wood for tables, and more so making beams is pretty cool too!
Thank you for your comment. I too can see the appeal of old wood – the grain and textures come out well on photographs. I’ve checked your real estate photos – they look amazing!