Industrial Style?

Let's talk for a moment about "Style."

We did not go with one particular "style" (consistently) for this house. We were inspired by many. We like deep trim, recessed windows, high ceilings. I would say the overarching influence is "Craftsman," especially on the exterior;  but there was inspiration from Post-And-Beam, Farmhouse, Modern Farmhouse, and a hodge-podge of lovely house photos done by architects (found on Houzz.)

One style that I am not terribly fond of is the "Industrial." That is where things like metal pipes are left exposed. However, the Modern Farmhouse style had a bit of that. Done well, it wasn't bad (or maybe I had been looking at too much of it...). There are spots in our house that could possibly be filed under "industrial." 

When those you know and love working so hard in front of your eyes you value whatever they do much more than anyone else would. Also being intimately acquainted with the construction of a structure like this is gives you very special feelings about it.

We have a lot of wood in our house, and though most interior designers and architects talk about the "warmth" of wood, there is something else about it I am not sure I can put into words.

 Perhaps because it was a living thing, or that it had been through many processes, hands, and travel to get to us, it feels like the wood has a story to tell and should be left exposed. Even these stamps from the mill add "character" to the place. 

This is surely one of the ugliest photos blogged here! Oddly, when it was time to clean this up, sand it down, saw it back and put a prettier face on it, it felt like a sad moment. Sawed-in-half nails in the faces of the boards looked so interesting, a pity to cover up. But there are plenty of bolts exposed on the decorative brackets, and other things left as part of the "style" we have going here that will show that this is a hand-built house.

As I previously blogged, I wanted some of the laundry room ceiling left exposed. This will mess us all up when the built-ins go in I know, but there is a beauty about the structure that I wanted to preserve. I can't tell you what style of house leaves a hole in the ceiling so you can see floor joists on purpose. I suppose could be called "industrial" but I would rather not use that label.. 

So between the posts and beams, wide trim painted white on windows and doors, and exposed portions of structure, I'm calling it "Humphrey Style."