How-To Archives – Log Cabin Homes Magazine

Building a Legacy Home

by Jennifer Donahue | Jul 9, 2021 | Building, How-To, Planning

For many of us, the opportunity to build a log or timber frame house is the realization of a lifelong dream. But what makes a house a home is the people we share it with and the memories we make there. That’s why it’s no surprise that many people build their log or timber frame home with the intention of passing the home on to future generations. If that’s your plan, there are some design considerations to keep in mind so that you build a home that will appeal to the whole family and be as cherished in …

Financing in 2015

by Mike Haskew | Jul 9, 2021 | Financing, How-To

Keeping up with market trends, making the most of your money, and financing the log or timber frame home you have always wanted may seem more challenging than ever in 2015. In reality, there is no time like the present to make log and timber home dreams come true. Several key elements influence home financing today, and these are basic, even during times of economic instability that are hopefully in the rear view mirror for both businesses and consumers. First, work with professional…

The Cabins on Curly Creek

by Debra Grahl | photography Roger Wade Studio | styling Debra Grahl | Jul 9, 2021 | Building, Designing, Entire Home, How-To, Planning, Room-By-Room

Rebbecca Abair recalls having a passion for designing unique spaces and landscapes her entire life. “As far back as I can remember,” Rebbecca says, “I have been fascinated with small spaces and always pictured myself residing in a little log cabin in the woods.” Her father, a talented design and construction visionary in his own right, taught his little girl how to do roofing, mix concrete, and build all manner of things, from furniture to structures. To date, Rebbecca has designed and built eight diffe…

Obtaining Financing For Your Log Cabin Home

by Bridget McCrea, photo Roger Wade, courtesy of Honest Abe Log Homes | Jul 9, 2021 | Financing, How-To

It’s no secret that securing a loan for any purchase has gotten a bit more complicated. Where just a few years ago lenders were willing to shell out big bucks to pretty much any credit-worthy individual, the real estate market slide, sub-prime lending issues, and the credit crunch have made getting a loan a bit more difficult. Factor in the notion that a log home is usually considered a “nontraditional” property, by lending standards, and it’s easy to see the value of a well-researched financing strateg…

The Second Home Scene

by Donna Peak | Jul 9, 2021 | How-To, Planning

If you’re like most Americans, you’ve spent the past several years watching economic events unfold with a moist eye and your fingers crossed that the worst is over. Well, we’ve got some good news for you—economists and housing authorities believe we’ve finally hit bottom and are starting to emerge from the recession. Not only that, but there are glimmers of recovery. The housing market has shown modest gains, and though it will be methodical and …

A Powerful Package

by Mike Haskew | lead photo Rocky Mountain Log Homes | Jul 9, 2021 | Designing, How-To, Planning

For many, building a log home is a dream come true, an opportunity to settle into a long-sought lifestyle combining the finest in comfort with the pristine beauty of nature. Making the most of this building project that may occur only once in a lifetime means research, quality shopping, and informed decisions. No aspect of the decision-making process is as challenging as that of balancing comfort, décor, and cost. Therefore, the inclusion of amenities is the subject for detailed discussion. Partic…

Setting the Stage

by Jennifer Donahue | Jul 9, 2021 | How-To, Planning

In your dreams, you imagined the builder handing over the keys to your new log or timber frame home, each inch of the house completed just as you imagined it would be. But for many of us, dreams are sometimes deferred—or at least spread out over time. Whether it is due to budget restrictions or lifestyle changes, there are many reasons you might want to build your home in stages instead of completing the whole project at once. Perhaps you intend to eventually retire to your new log or timber frame home,…

LEEDing the Way

by Laura Cleveland | Jul 9, 2021 | Building, Energy Efficiency, How-To

This issue’s theme is legacy log homes—building a log home now that will be passed down to future generations. It makes sense to build the best possible log home using the highest quality of materials that will withstand all weather conditions, pests, and other natural elements. It also makes sense to build a log home that is energy and water efficient. Energy costs are on the rise now and there’s no telling how high they will go in the future. Water, a most precious resource, is also worth conserving t…

Smaller, But Still Great!

by Log Cabin Homes Magazine | Jul 9, 2021 | Designing, Entire Home, How-To, Room-By-Room

This living room, just steps inside the front door, is waiting for a family to plop down, put their feet up, and warm themselves by the fire. The cathedral ceiling prevents the large fireplace from overwhelming the space. Numerous windows keep the space filled with natural light.

Expensive Look, Affordable Pricetag

by Mike Haskew | Jul 9, 2021 | Building, How-To, Planning

It’s the classic dilemma when building a log home. Finishing with that expensive look without busting the budget is indeed a challenge. But it can be done. Log home professionals, from sales consultants to designers and experienced builders, are ready to assist in the great undertaking, lending a hand at decision time. Moving forward with confidence involves research and preparation. “Certainly, preplanning is important as far as determining what square…

Low-Maintenance Landscaping

by Margaret Haapoja | Jul 9, 2021 | How-To, Landscape, Maintaining, Planning

It’s never too soon to start planning the landscape around your log home to ensure you won’t spend every weekend on lawn and garden chores. In fact, Kent Worley, Grand Rapids, Michigan, landscape architect, emphasizes the importance of including site considerations when you begin to design the home. He asks his clients to make a list of personal preferences including types and seasons of outdoor uses, expectations of care and maintenance, storag…

Selecting a Log Home Producer

by By Karen Doss Bowman | Jul 9, 2021 | Building, How-To, Planning

For Jim McKinney of Chicago, building the log home of his dreams was an exciting, but substantial, venture. When he began planning the Jackson, Wyoming, home more than five years ago, McKinney did meticulous research to make sure he selected a reputable log home producer who would understand the look and feel he wanted to create in the home. Ultimately, he wanted to work with a company that could design a home that would be “100 percent me.” “You can expect that a log home is going to be a little more e…