San Juan Timberwrights-Articles

The Beauty and Strength of Timber Photo 1

The Beauty and Strength of Timber | Building Pagosa Summer 2002
Story by Rita O'Connell
Photography by Laurie Dickson

When you walk into the Great Room, the beauty of the beams just takes your breath away. The X-shaped scissor beams of recycled Douglas fir with inlays of redwood and decorative carvings pull your eyes immediately to the room’s vaulted ceiling. Only after that do you notice the fabulous window views south to Navajo Lake. Finally, your attention turns to the blend of woods within the room—not just the beams, but the cabinets, doors, trim, light sconces and frames for upholstered furniture. read more>

Ceci and Michael love their new timber-frame home and the laid-back lifestyle of Durango,
Colorado. "It's a great place to raise a family," Michael says. By the size of his smile, their son, George, appears to agree.

Plane Change | Country Kitchen Ideas, Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications Fall/Winter 2001
Story by Amber Dawn Barz
Photography by Laurie Dickson

A plane crash landed Easterner Michael McQuinn in a Durango, Colorado, hospital. He had no idea that the accident would change his life forever—right down to where he and his family would live.
Easterner Michael McQuinn was just visiting Durango, Colorado, when a crash of a small sight-seeing plane on which he was riding, landed him in the hospital there. Although his injuries were not life-threatening, a friend (and fellow victim) generously offered his home in the Durango suburb of Falls Creek as a haven where Michael could recuperate for several weeks.

Michael accepted the offer and, on the first morning of his stay, awoke to sea a herd of elk passing on the lawn. Michael loved the view and the comfort he found in the warm and woodsy timber-frame home, and he decided then and there it was time to make a lifestyle change. When his healing was complete, he began to try to convince wife Ceci to pack her bags, permanently.

"At first I wasn’t sure about making the move," Ceci says. "I’ve lived near the water all of my life, and I love sailing," she says. read more>

Reclaimed timbers create a Colorado vacation home. The home's exterior features an eclectic mix of stucco, wood and stone accents.

New Home with an Old Soul | Timber Frame Homes Summer 2001
Story by Michael Baxter
Photography by Laurie Dickson

Nestled along the bank of the Gunnison River in southwestern Colorado stands a Scandinavian-styled timber frame home of stucco with clean lines and fine wood details. Though relatively new in its construction and appearance, at the heart of this picturesque escape is an old soul of recycled timbers from industrial structures long forgotten and laid to waste.

Built several years ago by Nancy and Lee Rutherford as a family getaway far from their Gulf Coast home in Corpus Christi, Texas, the 2,300-square-foot house was a perfect choice for the south Texans. "With this incredible timber frame, it's almost like a cathedral sitting in the woods," Lee says. "Even today it still gives me a warm feeling, like a new antique." read more>

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