Arrow Timber Framing shines at Parade of Homes

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RIDGEFIELD – The 2015 Clark County Parade of Homes may be held in Ridgefield this year, but thanks to a helping hand from Arrow Timber Framing, Tuscany Homes is bringing an out-of-the area feel to this year’s event.

 

Tuscany Homes provided one of the five homes featured at this year’s Clark County Parade of Homes and there are many different elements of the home that would qualify to many visitors as being of “showstopper’’ quality. One of those eye-pleasing elements is the contribution of Arrow Timber Framing.

 

“I can’t express enough what a great job they did and the quality of their workmanship,’’ said Ron Veach, owner of Tuscany Homes, which offers “Sylvan Rest’’ as its entry in the Parade of Homes this year. “The timber framing in the home is unique, nobody is doing it in this area. Everything else is all handcrafted. We’ve got timbers everywhere, in the living room, the dining room, the kitchen, the front entry to the garage, to the peak of the home to the water fountain – tons and tons of timbers. It’s different than what anyone else in town is doing.’’

 

Bert Sarkkinen, owner of Arrow Timber Framing, said it was a synergistic effort between the staff at Tuscany Homes, his staff at Arrow Timber Framing and designer Kim Sevier. Together,’’ Sarkkinen said the collective vision pulled together a “modern, rustic look.’’

 

“It was a cross pollination of ideas,’’ Sarkkinen said. “Sometimes you have to prepare the canvass. You can just dive right in with the timbers before getting the proportions for how they are going to work with everything else.’’

 

It was far from the first project Tuscany Homes and Arrow Timber Framing have combined to work together on.

 

“They’ve got a lot of creativity on their design team,’’ Veach said. “They’ve done a lot of work with us.’’

 

Perhaps none any more eye-catching than “Sylvan Rest.’’

 

“I think we nailed it,’’ Veach said. “We definitely brought in the rustic feel with the beams and the modern cleanliness from the cabinets, countertops, and everything else.

 

“The beauty of the beams just gives it a good, warm feeling to the home,’’ Veach said. “You have to get in here and feel it and look at the craftsmanship. There is nothing like it done in town. We’re trying to get that Colorado, Utah-like structure. The modern, rustic design – simple, clean and still have that rustic feeling.’’

 

When done right, Sarkkinen believes the inclusion of timber framing is just the right accent to a home such as “Sylvan Rest.’’

 

“It’s like taking stock wheels off a car and putting on some nice rims,’’ he said. “There is an added expense but for what it does, pound for pound, it’s hard to find a better investment. It has such a big influence on how a space looks and feels.’’

 

While Veach said the rustic, modern combination has a Colorado-, Utah-like feel, Sarkkinen believes the feel traverses an even greater distance.

 

“You kind of get like a Mediterranean-type feel, an Italian-type of elegance,’’ Sarkkinen said. “As soon as you put that exposed beam and run the post all the way down to the floor on the inside of a home, it changes that rustic factor pretty dramatically.’’

 

Sarkkinen admitted that because they were working on the Parade of Homes, the entire team pulled down for their “A effort’’ on this project.

 

“Everybody spent a lot of time working on the ideas to make sure it came out good,’’ he said.

 

The 44-year-old Sarkkinen founded Arrow Construction in 1995. He began Timber Framing, also known as Exposed Beam Construction, in 2002 and officially changed the business name to Arrow Timber Framing in 2008. Sarkkinen describes Timber Framing an age old craft which is now in revival. It is often described as Heavy Beam Construction without nails.

 

“The thing Arrow does better than anyone else is to provide strong, creative building solutions which are easy on the eyes, with a process guaranteed to be enjoyable,” reads the company’s website (www.arrowtimber.com).

 

Sarkkinen grew up around construction, hanging around work sites with his father Joe Sarkkinen, the owner of Scandia Construction. When he was 16, he quit his job as a farmhand and went to work for his father as a framing apprentice, that’s when he began the journey of learning the complicated math and angles and modifications that improved the functionality and beauty of a home.

 

Sarkkinen got his start in Timber Framing when a customer asked him to do some work on his “shome” (a shop and home combination).



 

“So with the background of quality and responsibility oriented training, the love for angles and math, plus an eye for balance and functionality, the step from conventional framing to Timber Framing was relatively easy (falling in love with the beauty and lore of the old world craftsmanship made it even easier),” Sarkkinen writes on his website.

 

“I should clarify that,” he quickly adds. “The decision to become proficient in the art of Timber Framing was easy. And the hours spent learning the joinery was easy. And the hours spent designing and studying design was easy. But, proving myself, finding jobs, investing in tools, investing in equipment, shop, trucks, trailer and all the other expenses needed to provide great timber products without taking forever, was tough.”

 

Tough, but worth it.

 

“And, I have to say that the love of the craft was the anchor,” Sarkkinen said. “Without that passion, there is no way I could have put in the time and worked for so little, for so long, to secure the right to call myself a truly-qualified Timber Framer.”

 

Arrow Timber Framing is located at 9726 NE 302nd St., in Battle Ground (right off of 299th street). The office and fabrication facility are both located at the site. The office can be reached by phone at (360) 687-1868.

 

 

Arrow Timber Framing’s ‘Optimized Timber Package’

 

 

 

The “Optimized Timber Package’’ offered by Arrow Timber Framing is a hybrid construction method that mixes traditional framing with just the right amount of timber framing, to maximize your dollar for strategic placement and big impact.

 

 

 

Those who call Arrow Timber Framing, will experience a unique process. Their “Guaranteed Design Package” starts with a brainstorm session, during which staff members use multiple ways to define the client’s style. Next, the client will be presented with options, drawn to scale in a 3-D model. Multiple modifications will be made until the perfect fit for your home and lifestyle is captured. Once the design is just right, the fabrication of timbers will be handled by experienced team members.

 

 

 

Optimizing the timber package increases the value of a home. Great curb appeal makes a home more desirable and gives the entire house a higher perceived value, according to Arrow Timber Framing staff and other industry experts who believe timber framing will not go out of style or seem dated, offering a home with a solid, inviting look decades after it is built.

 

 

 

There are many cheap timber options on the market. The Arrow Timber Framing process is different. Go to www.ArrowTimber.com for more information, a gallery of projects and customer testimonials.

 

 

 

The Parade of Homes is an opportunity for area residents to see new trends and high-end options. Translating those ideas into something that fits your budget and style might not seem easy for many. However, a contractor who takes the time to understand your priorities can help you plan a house that truly feels like home.

 

 

 

People are attracted to post and beam decor for a variety of reasons. Beams are real, unique, approachable and comfortable. Good design and craftsmanship bring out magnificent beauty, charm and energy. It looks expensive, but many homeowners mistakenly believe that it is out of their range on a budget.