I came up with different patterns on each balcony while still sticking to the basic layout that is common in the Swiss Alps where we hiked. I used cedar, as it is fairly durable out in the weather.
We went and found a few leaves from the nearby trees, in this case it is from a black oak and a tulip poplar. One of the more interesting things about any art involving nature, is that it forces you to look at things closer. Each leaf, even from the same branch of a tree can vary quite a bit. Often the leaf, if held up to the light, will reveal the same branch pattern as the tree, a small fractal version of the tree encoded in each leaf. This is the railing on the private deck for the Hummingbird room. It leads to a small rose garden with view over Three Ridges Mountain and the George Washington National Forest.
The cantilevered balcony on the Poplar Room overlooking Main Street. The poplar leaf is in the center, the top row is sassafras and a row of white oak leaves below.
Below is a Italian inspired railing on the deck behind the Bakery. It is a perfect place to greet the morning with a cup of coffee and listen to the birds sing. Above in the distance is Wintergreen. The ski slopes are on the other side of this ridge.
Below is the railing from the front porch. It is in a more classical French medieval style with fur-d-leis and diamonds.
