The structural components of a building, if left exposed on the inside or outside of the home, can be artful expressions in their own right. This requires skills of composition. The architect or designer doesn't simply compose a shape or a surface for appreciation from one angle alone. Every possible perspective is considered, and he or she adjusts the composition to make it look just right from whatever direction it is viewed. In some instances, the grouping of rafters, for example, can form a pattern that delights from a variety of angles.
A column that is appropriately placed to define one area of the house from another, while simultaneously fulfilling its structural function, can also be a wonderful enhancement to a living space. Columns can shelter a space, creating a living area that is more a sequence of places than a single undifferentiated great room or a series of discrete separate rooms. In general, columns usually add rather than subtract character.
Brackets were frequently used to add character to the exterior of bungalows built during the early part of the 20th century. Today, with our dependence on truss technology and shallower overhangs, brackets are only rarely used. But even when their design is kept simple, they add a lot to the personality of a home. Brackets can be used internally as well, as in a true timber-frame home, and are often carved or decorated to add character to a room.
Adapted with permission from Home by Design by Sarah Susanka, published by The Taunton Press (2004).