Blue Door Painters explores incorporating exotic styles into city life.
The home was a rustic woodland paradise. Surrounded by forest and framed by a tidy garden and a liberal swath of hardscaping, the house showcased wood in its most gloriously natural state. The siding on the outside was made of cedar, cut into a log-shaped veneer that sloughed off rain without requiring mortar. Indoors, whole peeled logs from local pines supported the ceiling on capable shoulders, while smaller logs framed the stairs, railing, and balcony. The floor and walls were paneled in hardwood. Everything, inside and out, was glossy with protective varnish and glowing with a warm amber-colored stain. The omnipresent honey-brown wood tones, paired with authentic bearskin rugs, animal mounts (above the fireplace, an intimidatingly massive moose), and beautiful foliage-detail artwork completed the hunting lodge ambience: a perfect mixture of grand and welcoming.
Go back 250 years, and you might have found this home (or rather, its historic equivalent – coatings technologies in the 1700s hadn’t quite caught up) right here in the heart of Washington, DC. Before the region was called upon to serve as the nation’s capitol, wealthy landowners took advantage of the rich silt and dense forest around the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers to farm and hunt in large estates adjacent to the small towns of Georgetown and Alexandria. Today, of course, real estate in the area has taken on a very different style, conforming to the practical and aesthetic pressures of being both a bustling metropolis and the political seat of the United States. The home described and depicted above is a real place – located in rural Pennsylvania. But while full-on hunting lodge decor might now be out of place in modern DC, many of the creative techniques for working with wood showcased by the rustic style have a lot to offer the resourceful urban designer. Here are two ideas:
1. Log-style cedar siding. Cedar, of all the species of wood on the market, is one of the most naturally rot-resistant, durable, and low-maintenance. The extra money spent to purchase cedar is quickly returned by its lack of maintenance. There are two kinds of cedar: Western Red Cedar and Northern White Cedar. The two are comparably rot resistant and durable, varying primarily in cost and color (Western Red Cedar has a beautiful reddish tone which can be easily enhanced and preserved with stain). However, when purchasing Western Red Cedar siding or decking, make sure you inquire about the percentage of heartwood included in your lumber. Due to forestry concerns, modern Red Cedar is often harvested young, before it has had a chance to develop a critical mass of mature heartwood. While it is noble to stop encroachment on old-growth forests, it is important to know that the sapwood comprising the bulk of young cedar trees is actually NOT rot resistant. So you may find yourself paying cedar prices for a siding product that isn’t much more resilient than untreated pine. An excellent solution to this quandary is to use the more locally available Northern White Cedar and invest in an extra coat of stain to achieve the perfect glowing color.
The log-style siding on this Pennsylvania home is a different shape than traditional lap or tongue and groove siding; it creates the visual effect of a log cabin while allowing for conventional frame construction. In many of the more tightly clustered urban neighborhoods, a home finished entirely with log-style wood siding may seem jarringly out of place – but using this rustic style as an accent; on a dormer or gable, or in conjunction with brick or stone, can add a lively touch of nature that will make your home look sturdy and romantic, and enhance your curb appeal. Cedar siding can be stained in many colors to match your desired palette – including a solid color stain if you want the Victorian effect of painted wood. If you are lucky enough to live in one of the more sprawling neighborhoods of areas like McLean, VA, or Potomac, MD, you can go all-in with the log cabin style if you want to; it will enhance the image of your home as a woodland retreat, and accordingly make your property seem larger.
2. Whole skinned logs. Whether used for interior or exterior, construction or decoration, whole logs create a very powerful rustic effect. Most commonly available in White Pine or Cedar (although you can look into other species specifically available around Washington, DC), whole logs can be used as urban accents that are both daring and charming. Try building a deck with whole logs as the outer frame, or using whole logs to frame your door or windows. Or, if you are particularly ambitious, you might consider a tudor-style addition, with whole logs as structurally significant portions of the construction (they certainly are strong enough; their main downside is the extra work required to accommodate the unusual shape).
On the interior, whole logs are stunning as supports for a high, peaked ceiling or open-air staircase. They are also one of the more attractive options for a freestanding structural support (read: pole in the middle of your basement). Trimming an interior with whole logs (or whole long veneer siding, which is also available) can dramatically change the tone of an interior with very little effort. Pairing the logs’ natural beauty with another rustic feature, like a fireplace or wood stove, can make any room look hunting lodge cozy, right in the middle of the city!