There are many ways of optimizing seating and storage with built-in seating. As a consummate multi-tasker, I love nothing more than things that serve more than one function. (Give me an air fryer any day—it toasts, bakes, broils and air fries!) Serving more than one...
The Grand Entry
Making the most of entryways and mudrooms adds convenience and style to a log or timber home. Aside from the basic functions of ingress and egress, the look and feel of the entryway and the functionality of the mudroom add ambience and accessibility to the overall...
Little Things
There are many small but important things to consider before building your home. Overlooking little details when building a home can become nuisances once you live in your beautiful new home. Creating a list of little things that are ultimately important to your...
Planning Exterior Spaces
Your outdoor spaces are a bridge between your home’s interior and the natural landscape beyond. Some of my favorite time at home is spent on a quiet spring afternoon, sitting on my deck listening to the rain hit the metal roof overhead. Whether it’s watching the sun...
Space Planning 101
An architect or designer can help you plan your home’s indoor and outdoor living areas for maximum efficiency and flow. My husband likes to joke that I’m picking up space-planning skills from him. For as long as I’ve known him he has been a wizard at packing a...
Set the Mood
Chandeliers can change the look of any room. A dramatic lighting choice, chandeliers provide a decorative focal point while adding illumination and character to log and timber homes. Photo by Heidi Long Photo by Karl Neumann Photo by Heidi Long Photo by Karl Neumann...
Simply Scandinavian
A Canadian couple’s desire for an uncluttered log home results in a minimalist look throughout their 2,000-square-foot home. This small and cozy log cabin is a showcase for Dominique Fournier, the owner, builder, and founder of Confort Nature, a company specializing...
‘Tis the Season!
Festive decorations, a tree full of lights, and a roaring fire are very much at home in a cozy log & timber home.
Rustic Furniture
If you would like to get back to your roots when furnishing your log or timber home, rustic furniture is the way to go. Typically wooden and distressed looking, rustic furniture can invite a sense of simplicity and old-fashioned charm. “Rustic décor seems to relax people,” says Shirley Brown, owner of Papa Bear’s Northwoods Store in Baraboo, Wisconsin. “They feel like they’re in the great outdoors.” Rustic, by definition, is untamed. Furniture pieces look “lived in,” and chipped pain…
Relaxing Retreats
After spectacular kitchens and luxurious master bathrooms, the perfect master bedroom is often at the top of any home buyer’s wish list. The options are endless when you are designing a space that suits your style. You can go for a bold wall color that sets off wood accents or stay with soothing neutral and natural tones. The space can be elegant and refined or rustic and cozy. Being surrounded by things they love inspires some, while choosing minimal decorative items appeals to oth…
Designing Your Bathroom
An all neutral color palette looks beautiful in a log home. The tile on the walk-in shower ties the golden brown color of the logs in with the stone floor. Extra storage is provided by a distressed dresser and a Victorian coat rack hanging on the wall. The open ceiling allows for ventilation.
Log & Timber Homes From Coast to Coast: Southwest
More than just a sprawling desert, the Southwest extends from the heights of the Wasatch and Rocky Mountains to the bluffs and mesas and finally to the flatlands of the Rio Grande. Log timber homes in the region were heavily influenced by its Native American and Hispanic inhabitants, but today you’ll find homes of every shape and style in a wide variety of climates.