Project Highlight: Great Country Timber Frames 

The Old West is known for its rustic charm and rugged landscapes. That is why homeowners and designers love to use the Wild West as design inspiration for residential and commercial spaces, even on the East Coast.

One company that is witnessing this first hand is Great Country Timber Frames out of Conneticut. "There’s a strong nostalgia for the West in the East Coast, where Cape- and Colonial-style homes & businesses are the norm. From cowboys to wide open blue skies, New Englanders are fond of the West. The appeal of rustic design on the east coast is certainly in the wanting to be different."

Owned and operated by the Skinner family, Great Country Timber Frames is headquartered in Ellington, CT. Building on a 30-year tradition of hard work and craftsmanship, Great Country Timber Frames designs & cuts timber frames and timber components for post and beam barns, garages, homes, and other timber framed buildings.

Rustic Residential

Up in the mountains or along the river, rustic homes are becoming a popular choice with homeowners and builders. With natural tones all around, builders like to incorporate different metals and stones to bring rustic homes to life.

This home is a great example of how mixing natural elements can create a beautiful, rustic design.

With design inspiration from lodges in Wyoming, Great Country Timber Frames used weathered steel roofing for the entryway to emphasize the rustic charm of this home. "Upon entering the home from the timber frame portico with rusty metal roof, the owners wanted it to feel like walking into a lodge in Jackson, Wyoming."

What makes weathered steel so sought after is that that no two projects will be the same. As this metal it is exposed to the elements it will begin to rust, adding instant character to homes. "Rustic accents are part of the design, notably in the rusty metal roofing of the portico, reclaimed barn board on the ceiling of the great room, and fieldstone on the fireplace. All the different building materials help convince guests they're on vacation out West."

The rustic design of the exterior, is brought indoors with natural building materials.

Old Western Office Space

The idea behind creating an eye catching business front is to do just that; catch someone's eye so they are interested and want to learn more. That is just what the builders at Great Country Timber Frames did with this rustic office space. "The thinking was if we built a western-looking building, not only would it stand out in the East, but it would also showcase our love for the West."

With reclaimed barn wood and rustic metal, these offices are sure to make a lasting impression.

With the idea of recreating an old western bank, these builders used reclaimed barn wood for siding and rustic metal roofing and accents to make this commercial space look like it came right out of the Old West. "Steel is a great material to work with and not as many companies use it out here as much as other materials. It makes our buildings stand out. We chose Bridger Steel because it was the most authentic and Western looking steel."

Along with standing seam roofing, this project uses corrugated metal roofing and wainscot. Corrugated metal has been around for many years, making it the perfect accent for rustic, commercial buildings. "Steel transports the building to the west. It gives an authentic Western look—unique and inspiring."

Corrugated metal on the side of this commercial space adds texture and dimension to make this building stand out.

Nationwide Delivery

Using our own fleet in combinations with trusted third party partners, we have delivered everywhere from the San Juan islands in Washington, to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. If you have a need for our unique products, we'll help you get it there.

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For more information about rustic metal design visit our Browse by Style section. To see more rustic project, check out our Project Inspiration board.