Modern is probably not the first decorating style that comes to mind for a log or timber frame home. But what exactly does modern mean? Primarily, it means clean lines and simplicity. Modern décor tends to reflect straight lines and square corners—no ornate curves or corners. The modern home is relatively plain but it looks warm and lived in. One of the keys to a successful melding of home and décor …
The right lighting can make a world of difference in the look and feel of your home. As author James Thurber once said, “There are two kinds of light—the glow that illumines, and the glare that obscures.” Many log and timber home producers handle lighting design in-house and are familiar with the unique lighting needs of log and timber frame homes. But to ensure your home is lit to maximize comfort, showcase design elements, and eliminate glare, you might want to consider hiri…
People buy log homes for many different reasons. Some use them as their primary homes, raising their children in the beautiful settings where such structures are so often located. Others build them as vacation retreats, where friends and families can get a respite from the stresses of everyday life, and kick back in a more natural, rustic environment. Still others build with the intention of someday retiring to their log homes and spending their golden years enjoying everything that these wonderfu…
When planning your perfect log cabin home, there are many decisions that must be researched. Whether you are contemplating the idea of a log home or beginning the design process, the end result can vary greatly depending on the multitude of choices made. The choice of wood species is one of the biggest and first decisions to make. Next, you must consider corner styles or joint methods, chink or no chink, and which drying method best suits your needs. You also need to learn t…
You know the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Well, the same could be said of building a log or timber frame home. Your log producer, builder, and contracted experts in plumbing and electrical systems are all critical to building a successful new home, and interior design expertise is just as important. Having a professional you can rely on to guide you through each step of the design process makes building a home more manageable and can actually end up saving you mon…
You’ve most likely spent months, if not years, planning the design of your log home and hadn’t even considered what you would use to protect its precious walls. There are many companies out there that claim they make the best finishes for the exterior of a log home. Weeding through all of these products can be a daunting task, and you may be tempted to drive down to the local hardware store and pick up a few cans of the product that’s on sale that week. Before hopping in your car, get to know what makes…
A stunning stone patio, boulders, ornamental grasses lined up in rows, and tall, slender trees all serve to enhance the beauty of this home. An old saying tells us that the devil is in the details, but so is the dazzle! Landscaping and hardscaping your log or timber home put the finishing touch on the self-expression that motivates homeowners everywhere. Rather than an afterthought or an add-on, the exterior finish of the home and surroundings bring the vision to life and complete the journey from idea …
The professional consensus on current primary home trends, from differing regions of the country, includes cost-consciousness, sustainability, practicality, and a better-than-ever educated client. These are the overarching trends that will likely be around forever, becoming, as architect Shawn Leatherwood says, “the new norm.” “It’s a strange time right now,” suggests Leatherwood. “Prospective clients seem to be doing plenty of tire kicking before hi…
With any home, maintenance plays an important role in protecting your investment from the elements and from the normal wear and tear that are inflicted on it on a daily basis. Ignore this important aspect of log home ownership and you could find yourself dealing with high repair and restoration bills, and a lot of heartache. Where log homes are different from traditional construction lies mainly in the logs themselves. While these natural wonders are strong, sturdy…
A beautiful log home—it’s a great dream for anybody to have for their retirement years. Now imagine if that home required zero maintenance: No painting, no toilet repair, no worries … talk about a beautiful dream! Of course, a home that doesn’t require any maintenance really is a dream. But what you can do is take steps during the planning process for your log home that will minimize maintenance in the long term. And that’s a dream that everybody can live with. To help us come up with the best planning …
Photo by Heidi Long 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 suitcase so that everything fits, loading the car trunk for a vacation with room to spare, and arranging furniture in a room for the most efficient use of space. The truth is, I’ve come to realize that sometimes there really is a “right” way to do things! Space planning is arguably the most important part of the home design process. Ideally, you…
Building a log home is, quite simply, an adventure. And nobody should undertake an adventure without adequate preparation. When Jock Davidson, owner of Daniel Boone Log Homes, considers the process of building a log home, he advises, “The nature of home building, particularly log homes, is usually more art than science. No two log homes are exactly the same, and therein lies the art. The single biggest pitfall that homebuyers face is unrealistic expectations. The home will invariably take longer to buil…
