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 WHEN IT CAME TO DESIGNING A VACATION HOME, TIMBERPEG® WAS THE FIRST AND ONLY CHOICE FOR DENNIS AND JAN AUSTIN.  An active couple who describe themselves as outdoor people, Dennis and Jan Austin have long admired timber frame construction. As Dennis explains, "We considered log homes, but there were too many aspects of that type of construction that we didn't like - log homes can be dark and tough to heat. On the other hand, we did like everything about TIMBERPEG® [brand] homes." Armed with a dream, the couple went in search of property on which to construct their vacation home. The family often traveled from their home in the San Francisco Bay area to Truckee, a small town in the Sierras, to ski. After exploring property in lots of areas, they found a breathtaking lot in Truckee that they knew was the right place.
 They met their architect, Craig Threshie, AIA, at a Timberpeg® Open Home in Truckee, and he was immediately fascinated with the design possibilities presented by the lot Dennis and Jan had purchased. "Craig's designs turned out to be as inspiring as our site," says Dennis. "We picked an unusual piece of land with views in several directions, all sited around a massive boulder, and overlooking Donner Lake. Craig designed our Timberpeg® house to take advantage of the site. It has a complex footprint, with lots of funny angles." Craig recalls that the Austins really provided the inspiration for a wonderful, Adirondack-styled home that reflected childhood memories they described to him during design meetings, adding that "Jan and Dennis were really great clients to work with throughout this project." "We got exactly what we wanted," says Dennis of the finished design. "We didn't want a showplace lodge - we wanted something with the feel of a mountain cabin. The finished house is about 2,700 square feet, which sounds big, but the design makes it feel cozy." You can see the cozy touches everywhere you look. The railing around the loft, for example, is made of willow branches from the yard of the contractor's parents. "They were cutting them down," Jan explains, "and they turned out to be the perfect solution." Jan mentions that the initial willow railings were well-seasoned, but when the project required additional pieces, some of the newer limbs actually sprouted and leafed out briefly. "It was amazingly beautiful," says Jan.  The Austins' Truckee home is a custom, hybrid design. The main building is 100 percent Timberpeg®, but the garage is conventional. Dennis explains the design. "We wanted to put a room over the garage with pine tongue and groove knee walls. My grandfather built one like that when we were growing up - over his garage. We called it 'the hideout' and that's what we call this room as well."Like so many of the other places in their home, the "hideout" is a warm and inviting space. Jan says their intent was not to make the place stylish, so much as warm, comfortable and lived-in-looking. "Our interior design was totally do-it-yourself," explains Jan. "We had a lot of old family things and we ended up with a nice mix of old and new things. Just the way we wanted." "One of the biggest design challenges we faced," says Dennis, "was this massive boulder. It is a balancing rock, a glacial erratic left behind in the last ice age. Now it is an integral part of the home's complex design." In the end, "the rock" became a dramatic focal point seen from both the living room and the master bedroom.
Another design challenge the Austins posed was their desire to go from the garage into the home's main entry as well as access the hideout without having to go outside. "Getting everything situated around the entrance was a big challenge," say Dennis and Jan, who point out the way that the stairs leading to the loft branch out in different directions. Like so many other customers, Jan and Dennis speak highly of their experience with Timberpeg®. "There are always frustrating parts of building a house," says Dennis. "Timberpeg® made it easy; it was hard to find a flaw. Everything was really smooth." To anyone thinking of building a home, Dennis stresses the importance of professional design help. "Having someone to problem-solve is really valuable," he says. According to Jan, the "same thing goes for contractors. Mike Carnell of Timberwolf Structures understood what we wanted and had a good artistic sense. He had built Timberpeg® homes before and had great solutions. And he listened. Our relationship with Mike made all the difference in the success of the project." Jan worked her own magic on the crew. "I baked for the guys every week I could. They loved our project - even if I forgot the baked goods." The Austins celebrated their finished Timberpeg® home with a party for the construction crew, complete with a signing ceremony. "We have a rafter in the closet with the signatures - great big signatures - of the guys who built the house," says Jan. "In the end," she adds, "the project was fun. We knew how to keep our eyes on the prize."  Photos: Thomas Photography Call us for more details on this and many other floor plans. |
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