Thanks Jerry, sorry I wasn't clearer- I was referring mostly to wood to use for external and internal finishes. For most unseen framing I'd tend to specify pine, usually sourced from northern Sweden, Finland or Poland based on cost, availability, sustainability and that it can be sourced relatively nearby. Maybe one day I'll venture into a fully visible timber-framed construction and the complex joinery that entails, but I'm a pretty determined "modernist" so most of my interest in timber is related to roofs, eaves, cladding, door, windows, decks, balustrades and other details. That said, I am very influenced by local traditional wooden construction (I should post some of my photographs of 500-yr-old Swedish timber houses- you woodworkers would probably love them- I know I do), but as I said, I feel like when it comes to actual know-how I am lacking and I'd like to rectify that. I can't believe it taken me this long to realise that all the expertise (and friendliness) of the Woodworker's Forum was the perfect resource for me to begin this process.
As a specific example is there a wood or method that springs to mind for flooring which could run from interior to exteriors for a sun room and deck? Of course internal and external boards would be completely separate so the external decking could be eventually be replaced, but I'd love to use a wood (not too expensive) which would look great inside, but which would handle the elements outside. Of course the finish could be different inside and out (and the weather and time would take care of that anyway), but I'd like the wood itself to match through rather than say beech on the inside and ipê on the outside!
I visited Japan last year and, even though I have read avidly about Japanese villa, tea house and temple timber construction for years I was absolutely blown away by them in reality. The most striking feature for me was the consistent blurring of the boundary between inside and out where, especially within the larger temples like Kennin-Ji, there were parts where even the idea of "inside" and "outside" seemed superfluous. The use of the same materials throughout the construction played a very important role in creating this feeling, which in turn unites building and the context. Once seen never forgotten.
