Build your House like a Viking
Hello, my dear friends!
In today’s post our regular contributor Daniel Rogers will share some amazing tips on how to build your home like a viking 🙂 Enjoy!
Vikings recently gained much mainstream attention, and it is hard to dispute that huge part of that newly acquired fame is the result of the History Channel’s hit TV show of the same name following the exploits of the Norsemen warlord Ragnar Lothbrok. Watching this show, however, no one of us could have ever guessed that cold Viking halls we saw there could actually be turned into pretty cozy houses while retaining the same medieval flare. And, indeed, Viking houses are slowly, but steadily becoming a thing, so if you want to try this style and start living like a Jarl, here are few things you should pay attention to the most.
House Material
It is sufficed to say that old Nordic houses have not used modern building materials, like concrete, so if you want to be as faithful as possible, you should stick with wood and stone. Still, it should be mentioned that old Viking designs do not always go toe to toe with modern regulations, and efforts to make our homes more sustainable, so you can cheat your way out of this situation with artificial wood job on the surface.
Massive Roof
Massive wooden roofs stretching all the way to the ground are one of the most recognizable hallmarks of old Scandinavian architecture, so this is the element you would not want to skip. The thing about them is that they are not only visually striking, but very useful as well. Namely, they offer a great protection against the elements if you are living in the snowy areas, and therefore keep your house construction warmer. So find a lot of wood, build a roof, decorate it with few glorious Nordic beasts on the fascia and proceed to the interior.
Fireplace
Another important design element you should pay attention to is, of course the fireplace, and in this case, stone option is the only option you have. Do not worry, though, stone fireplaces are rather affordable, easy to install, and need very little maintenance. If you still want to use some alternative or even additional fire source, you can always find it in some interior fire pits which will strengthen the fierce medieval vibe even further.
Wooden Ceiling
Even if you have not made your roof out of wood, your ceiling should look like you have, so, if you want to completely sell this look, make sure the ceiling is dressed with hardwood and supported with massive wooden beams. If you, on the other hand, truly made the tall Scandinavian roof you will find a lot of room to play with. Whether you are going to build a mezzanine, or you are going to use the spare space to play with beams and various ornaments is entirely up to you. One of the most challenging things will be completing the work because of the height. Having this in mind you will have to provide ladders, safety equipment and appropriate cordless tools in order to finish the job easily.
Interior Décor
Interior décor of such houses pretty much follows the pattern set by the rest of the architecture elements, which essentially means a lot of hard massive wood, or at least furniture which will not stick out from such environment. Other important things you should throw into mix are warm rugs, and heavy fur-like blankets.
Outdoor Decorations
Last but not the least, the thing that will complete the look you are trying to achieve will be the area around the very house. So, use artistic finishes to tell the story of dragons, drakkars and ancient conquests, makeover the garage and shed in the similar fashion like the house, build another fire pit so you can have a pleasant barbecue with your friends, and your saga will be complete.
Vikings are again conquering the world, why you would you not join them and build your house Viking style? Essentially, these houses are very cozy mountain cottages, so if you live in the snowy area, or you just like that style, we say should not hesitate.
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