If you’re thinking of transforming your home – or building a new one – using timber offers warmth, character and sustainability
This post was written in partnership with Carpenter Oak
Carpenter Oak has spent years mastering the art of timber framing, balancing structural precision with natural beauty. If you’re thinking of transforming your home – or building a new one – using timber offers warmth, character and sustainability. Whether you want high-performance insulation, exposed oak beams or bespoke joinery, the right design, materials and detailing make all the difference.
Carpenter Oak’s projects in Scotland illustrate how choosing quality timber frames, working with trusted architects and engineers and selecting finishes with local climate in mind can produce homes that are both beautiful and built to last.
When you decide it’s time to make your vision real, Carpenter Oak can help guide you through the process, from concept through to installation.
Situated on the rugged West Coast of the Scottish Highlands, Lochaber House, designed by Helen Lucas Architects, replaces an abandoned structure on a coastal plot with two interlinked volumes: one for living with sweeping sea views, the other for bedrooms.
The main open plan living area has a Douglas fir frame, made and installed by Carpenter Oak, using traditional joinery. Sustainable choices like zinc and larch cladding, wood fibre insulation and an air source heat pump make it both energy-efficient and robust in harsh coastal weather. The design respects the site and climate while delivering a warm, characterful home that feels rooted in its landscape.
In East Lothian, a Georgian manor gains a bold new living space through a Douglas fir extension crafted by Carpenter Oak. The project uses partially kiln-dried British Douglas fir, planed for a refined finish. It reimagines how the original house connects to its landscape and rear walled garden, adding interior space with strong visual and material coherence. This project, by WT Architecture, sees heritage meeting modern timber craftsmanship, enhancing the existing home without diminishing its classic character.
On the shoreline of Loch Ailort, Taigh Na Coille (or ‘House of the Woods’) designed by Helen Lucas Architects, embraces its rugged coastal terrain. Built with a green oak base with steel connections, it stands on concrete plinths anchored to bedrock – the difficult site meant the house had to be rooted in place. The internal Douglas fir frame is joined using traditional pegged connections and has subtle steel detailing. The exposed frame in the living spaces bring warmth and create a tactile, welcoming feel. Large windows frame views of the surrounding woodland and water, making the interior a seamless extension of its setting.
This single-storey home, located south of Edinburgh, draws from croft-style and vernacular barn architecture. To achieve their new-build home to their budget, the owner chose an oak frame for the living areas only. The oak frame brings a sense of openness and coastal rhythm. The design balances classic barn proportions with modern living needs, using an oak structure to define character and shape as much as function. Ideal for those wanting traditional inspiration with contemporary comfort.
Woodend in Lintrathen is a family-led project where the homeowners managed much of the build themselves. Vaulted kitchen and living spaces with a beautiful glazed gable captures views over loch and woodland. The oak frame was built at Carpenter Oak’s nearby workshop, transported and raised over three days despite a wet Scottish winter. It’s a testament to timber framing’s adaptability and local collaboration, showing how even logistically challenging sites can deliver warmth, beauty and lasting craftsmanship.
Get in touch
If any of these homes spark ideas for your project – be it extension, renovation, or new build – reach out. Carpenter Oak offers structural design, material guidance, and the craftsmanship to make your timber-framed home striking, sustainable, and unmistakably yours.
t: 01575 560393
e: hello@carpenteroak.com
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