Ballard + Mensua Architecture is featured in Arlington Magazine’s “Great Spaces” section for designing a remarkable timber-framed home in McLean, Virginia. Commissioned by homeowners Jack and Nancy Levy, the project is an homage to exceptional craftsmanship and natural materials.

When the Levys discovered a renovated home with custom woodwork by principal architect Seth Ballard, they knew they had found the right collaborator. Ballard designed a residence that highlights the rich hues of western red cedar harvested on Vancouver Island, walnut flooring, and mahogany trim. Drawing inspiration from Gilded Age mansions, he created a dramatic double-story great room anchored by hammer trusses—an architectural element centuries old—crafted by Streamline TimberFrame.

Father-and-son carpenters spent seven weeks installing the cedar ceiling panels by hand, a process Jack Levy likened to “Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel.” Stone accents and prairie-style windows complete the space, which Levy calls “an ode to wood.” The result is a warm, timeless environment that blurs the line between historic inspiration and contemporary comfort.