Trace Design

Trace Design We are two architects designing high-performance homes that thrive in the rugged Cascades environment.

We partner with local makers to shape regional materials into your modern sanctuary—grounded, powerful, and refined.

The Esmeralda can be fully insulated, weather sealed, and finished to build a code-compliant home or cabin. We think thi...
07/09/2026

The Esmeralda can be fully insulated, weather sealed, and finished to build a code-compliant home or cabin. We think this is the ultimate expression of the timber, as it frames the space you dwell within. We deeply believe in the healing and psychological benefits of living in a home that doesn't poison you with glues, goops, and toxins but instead provides a warm and elevating sensory experience.

To help you get there, we are available for consultation and design of envelope systems, details, and materials that work seamlessly with the Esmeralda and leave that beautiful timber frame exposed to the interior.

Message us if you have questions, or drop by Teanaway Millworks at 8511 Teanaway Road, Cle Elum WA. Link in bio.

Cost is a huge driver for us. We want to keep the kit as affordable as we can to allow more of our neighbors and friends...
07/07/2026

Cost is a huge driver for us. We want to keep the kit as affordable as we can to allow more of our neighbors and friends to be able to build it.

One way we are doing this is to lean into the grassroots DIY spirit of working with timber. The Esmeralda comes as a DIY kit that is completely thought-out and ready to go, kind of like Ikea+. If you’re not a carpenter, this is the perfect way to learn some skills. With simple wood tools and a couple friends, you can raise your very own timber frame! It’s an inspiring experience that tends to draw communities together, and should be celebrated as much as the building itself.

More to come. Link in bio.

Enclose the Esmeralda in glass to build a greenhouse. Because we engineered the timber frame to handle lateral loads (th...
07/05/2026

Enclose the Esmeralda in glass to build a greenhouse. Because we engineered the timber frame to handle lateral loads (think earthquakes and wind), there's no need to sheath the frame with plywood or even tongue and groove boards. Without going into the engineering details, this is a huge feat for our area’s seismic and snow loads. Most other timber frames around here are ‘hybrid’ and rely heavily on plywood sheathing.

We see other greenhouses that are only engineered to structural risk category I. This means you are limited to using them for storage purposes only. But we care about flexibility. The Esmeralda is engineered to risk category II, opening up the ‘greenhouse' for you to use for sleeping, camping, and practically any other normal residential use.

Adaptability results in longevity.

More to come. Link in bio.

This is not some flashy VC-funded bay area techno-future-kit. The Esmeralda is rough sawn timber brought to you by real ...
07/03/2026

This is not some flashy VC-funded bay area techno-future-kit. The Esmeralda is rough sawn timber brought to you by real people. It's raw by design, because we find that most authentic.

Come visit Teanaway Millworks to see us in person, touch the wood, feel the warmth, and tell us about your project.

Splinters are on the house.

More to come. Link in bio.

We designed the Esmeralda to be capable of handling whatever use you might have for it. Want to cover it in glass to bui...
07/02/2026

We designed the Esmeralda to be capable of handling whatever use you might have for it. Want to cover it in glass to build a greenhouse? Great. Prefer to fully insulate it for a cozy cabin? No problem. Or, maybe you just want to leave it exposed outdoors? Got you covered. Turns out this is actually the hardest scenario to design for, and one we put serious thought into.

The 'leave it naked' strategy really appeals to our sense of authenticity. It reminds us of old barns and grain storage sheds, many of which are still standing today. To design this, we first need to keep the wood well above grade and provide a roof with generous overhangs. Then, we need to eliminate any cavities that might trap water, so the wood can dry to both sides. Finally, we need to finish the timber in a way that protects it from rot. Check, check, and check.

This outdoor pavilion concept showcases our vision for the naked Esmeralda, with partial screen siding as a privacy screen / wind buffer, a protected hearth for gatherings, sitting at a 30” elevation above grade to omit guardrails. We love how airy and inviting it feels, and can imagine it as a backyard gazebo upgrade or a campground shelter.

More to come. Link in bio.

Why heavy timber?We believe a building loved is a building that will last. A home framed with heavy timber will simply r...
06/30/2026

Why heavy timber?

We believe a building loved is a building that will last. A home framed with heavy timber will simply receive more attention and love over the decades than one framed with scrappy Home Depot lumber. The wood carries meaning and is simply beautiful. The grain of the Douglas-fir, the undulation of heartwood and sapwood, the golden tones. It changes with time and patinas as your house grows old. It both tells the story of the tree and holds the story of your life.

Heavy timber is also robust. It can withstand daily abuse, and it can also be engineered to survive extreme seismic events, snow load, and wind. Maybe most importantly for us here in central Washington, heavy timber performs very well in wildfire. The thickness of the wood is what allows it to stay standing longer: as the outside of the wood chars, the inside of the wood retains its structural integrity. The same cannot be said about lumber and I-joists which suffer sudden and catastrophic collapse in fire. Because the timber itself is robust, we don't need to slap a bunch of layers like drywall on top of it. It just works.

I could go on, but this isn't the place. More to come. Link in bio.

The Esmeralda is a 16’ x 16’ heavy timber module. You can build a single standalone module, or connect multiple modules ...
06/27/2026

The Esmeralda is a 16’ x 16’ heavy timber module. You can build a single standalone module, or connect multiple modules end-to-end to create the footprint you want.

Inside, timber diagonals create A-frame features that organize the floor plan every 16'. Your layout within is totally flexible. Leave the structure exposed as a durable outdoor pavilion, or enclose it to create an insulated, four-season space.

We designed the entire system to rest above-grade on helical piles so it can adapt to steep slopes or wet ground without heavy excavation. This helps to preserve your site’s undisturbed state and drastically cut the project's carbon footprint.

The essentials include:
> Precision-milled heavy timber frame
> Tongue and groove roof sheathing and floor decking
> All necessary structural hardware

Optional upgrades include:
> Loft framing
> Roof overframing (for overhangs)
> Wall sheathing and siding

More to come. Link in bio.

Meet Teanaway Millworks, the folks who bring the Esmeralda to life.They're a small, family-run sawmill in the Teanaway V...
06/25/2026

Meet Teanaway Millworks, the folks who bring the Esmeralda to life.

They're a small, family-run sawmill in the Teanaway Valley that are doing some beautiful work with local timber. We think wood is part of the environmental solution, and so do they.

Most interestingly for us, they are pulling timber from beetle-kill, firewise thinning, and development harvests. With their guidance, we've designed the Esmeralda kit to only use this waste-stream timber. Unlike virgin wood harvested solely for construction, this is considered a biogenic material. It is uniquely carbon-storing, and using it actually offsets other carbon emissions.

Turns out that this timber is also beautiful no. 1 or SS Douglas-fir. Unbelievable.

More to come. Link in bio.

Today, we are launching a pre-engineered heavy timber package we're calling the Esmeralda.Here’s the rundown. We provide...
06/23/2026

Today, we are launching a pre-engineered heavy timber package we're calling the Esmeralda.

Here’s the rundown. We provide sealed permit drawings, structural calculations, and specifications. You receive a truckload of milled timber and custom steel connectors. Then, you use our instructions and templates to cut to length and raise the frame. It's a DIY timber frame.

We've been working hand-in-hand with Teanaway Millworks and Foundry Structural to make this a seamless product from concept to permit to delivery.

It's fully modular. You can put together one 16' x 16' unit as a cabin or you can join three together to build a 16' x 48' home. Make it as long as you want, no redesign needed.

More to come. Link in bio.

Annie and I are excited to launch something we've been working on for hundreds of hours over the last two years. We desi...
06/21/2026

Annie and I are excited to launch something we've been working on for hundreds of hours over the last two years. We designed it for anyone / everyone who is interested. To keep this “everyone" as broad as possible, we've had to fundamentally reconsider what architecture is and how our friends can actually access it.

Usually, we design by commission. Someone comes to us and pays us to design them a custom home. But we designed this speculatively. As our own clients, we've been able to put an immense amount of energy and thought into something we believe is simply good in the world.

We're calling it the Esmeralda.

More to come.

Address

309 N C Street
Roslyn, WA
98941

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