How To Use Western Red Cedar Inside Your Home

Take Western Red Cedar Inside

Most people understand the benefits of using Real Cedar for outdoor projects, like fencing, decking and siding. They know its durability, how it stands up to the elements, how it’s naturally resistant to rot and decay, and how timelessly stylish it is. But once the season changes and the chill of fall sets in and we all go indoors, it’s a good time to remember just how gorgeous Western Red Cedar looks – and smells – on the inside.

Western Red Cedar adds natural texture and warmth to a space in a way that no man-made material can duplicate. Here are a handful of brilliant examples of why Cedar belongs inside as much as it does outside.

1. Tree House by Matt Fajkus Architecture

Beautiful knotty Cedar was used on both the exterior and interior of this contemporary Austin, Texas home. Matt Fajkus Architecture brought Cedar inside on the ceilings of this two-story spec project designed for an “imaginary future client,” to form a symbiotic relationship between the indoor and outdoor spaces.

2. Noyack Creek by Bates Masi Architects

The interior on this Noyack Creek home by Bates Masi Architects is a perfect example of the depth and texture Western Red Cedar brings inside. The Hamptons waterfront vacation home was, unique for the area, meant to be built modestly, as the owner wanted to sell the remaining portion of the lot.

3. Laurentian ski lodge by RobitailleCurtis

The Cedar ceiling on RobitailleCurtis’s Laurentian ski lodge blends brilliantly with the lush surrounding forest of spruce, maple, beech and birch trees. Perched on the steep slope of a former ski hill in a Quebec winter wonderland, this modern Laurentian family retreat brilliantly showcases the warmth and functionality of Western Red Cedar.

“Western Red Cedar was an easy choice – it’s extremely beautiful wood and long lasting,” explains Andrew Curtis, co-principal at RobitailleCurtis. “Our clients were looking for a home that fundamentally ‘felt’ like a ski chalet. They wanted it to be modern but warm – Western Red Cedar helped us to achieve this.”

4. First Home Bank by Dake Wells Architecture

Dake Wells Architecture opted for Western Red Cedar accents for a small locally owned, community-based First Home Bank in Mountain Grove, Missouri. The use of Western Red Cedar on interior accents, along with the exterior canopy, invokes a feeling of earthy warmth, while brightening the space in a unique way for a commercial space.

5. Oak Knoll Residence by Jørgensen Design

Architect Brandon Jørgensen’s Napa Valley project perfectly captures the trend toward earthy minimalism. More of a movement than just a look, it involves using the highest quality natural materials, like Western Red Cedar, along with a modest amount of furnishings.

6. Coffou Cottage by Brininstool + Lynch

A nook in Coffou Cottage by Brininstool + Lynch is made all the cozier with Western Red Cedar interiors. The Michigan City, Indiana residence was designed for a family as a rural retreat from city life and illustrates a beautiful balance of warmth and sophistication that is best achieved with Western Red Cedar.