Author(s): Chris McCurry

New Home Architecture, Design and Building

Everything old is new again with Bark House Style: Sustainable Designs from Nature. Resurrected from a practice begun in North Carolina in the 1800s, designing with bark shingles is again the epitome of sustainable design. Bark requires no toxic chemical treatments, can be harvested locally, and can live again for a century or more in the form of a premium building material, with little added energy use. Rustic, refined, natural, organic, unique, sophisticated, timeless, long lasting - bark shingles are the material of choice for many architects, builders, and home-owners. They appear in a breathtaking range of projects and mix well with a range of other building materials, including stone, log, glass, wrought iron, and copper. And no matter what variety of rustic styling you prefer - Adirondack, Cowboy, Craftsman, Rustic Revival, Shingle, Modern Rustic - bark used in remodeling can act as a visually pleasing architectural tool to bridge the gaps between old and new.