Category
Exteriors
Big Trend: Small Homes
In November 2010, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reported that the median size of new home construction continued to decline during the latter half of the decade, peaking at 2,268 square feet in 2006 and settling to an even 2,100 square feet in 2009. According to the report, a similar trend occurred in the early 1980s, when interest rates climbed to astronomical heights, but this reduction in square footage was only temporary. The 1990s saw t…
Second Thoughts
The dream of owning a second home is far from dead. Signs of the housing market’s resuscitation are visible around the country, with certain areas emerging as the hottest spots (and best real estate investments) you can make. With interest rates still incredibly low (5.25 percent for a 30-year fixed, as reported by Wells Fargo [www.wellsfargo.com] at the time of publication) and excellent builders still available and eager to work, these could be your best conditions for getting that…
Big Stix
Bill and Mary Elder’s desire to build a log home percolated over a number of years. “When our children were young,” says Mary, “we owned a small log cabin about a half hour away from our Fredericktown home. It was perfect for weekend getaways and gave Bill some necessary down time from his busy medical practice.” As the Elder children grew up and became more involved in school activities, cabin time was less frequent. “We were reluctant to sell it,” says Bill, “so we rented it out for a while, then even…
Photo Gallery of Log Home Exteriors
Log home design is often inspired by homes from more than a hundred years ago. With its weathered gray logs, tan chinking, and shingle roof, this home fits perfectly in its East Coast mountain setting. The covered porch shelters the front door and is a great place to sit and enjoy the fresh air. RMR Group/photo by Karl Neumann This log home is similar to the one above in terms of materials—square chinked logs and cedar shakes—but the overall effect is quite different. The s…
What Are Log Home Preservatives?
Log home preservatives are primary weapons in the fight against wood decay and wood-ingesting insects, safeguarding these structures from the ravages of potentially destructive agents that can damage the beauty and integrity of wood over time. Damage from wood-ingesting insects such as termites, carpenter ants, or wood-boring beetles can be devastating and costly to repair. Fungi, mold, and mildew can cause wood to rot and eventually need to be replaced or create un…
Hybrid Homes
We hear the term hybrid a lot these days. It’s used to describe everything from cars to tomato plants. But how do you define hybrid in homebuilding? If you look up hybrid in the dictionary, you’ll find a few different definitions. Among them: (1) Bred from two distinct breeds, varieties, species, or genera; (2) Composite; formed or composed of heterogeneous elements. (3) Composed of elements originally drawn from different la…
Outdoor Spaces That Inspire
Maybe you dream of a tucked-away sanctuary ideal for escaping into the pages of a good book; a cozy outdoor fireplace for gathering on crisp early autumn evenings; or a festive patio that lends itself to endless entertaining. We use our outdoor spaces in so many different ways—to entertain, to celebrate, to retreat—that we should apply the same care and attention to detail to those spaces as we do when planning the home itself. Planning for Perfection The design of outdoor spaces s…
Log & Timber Homes From Coast to Coast: Midwest
The Midwest, America’s heartland, has everything from open plains to rolling hills and mountains. There are numerous lakes and rivers and acres of pristine forest. Early settlers built log cabins and timber frames using the abundant resources at hand. Today you’ll find everything from an ultra-modern timber frame to a traditional log cabin, built to suit an individual owner’s personal style. In the Midwest it is common to find homes that appear remote but have easy access to large and mid-size cities. T…
The Basics of Buying & Building a Log Home, Part 1
You have been dreaming of this home for years. You have collected a binder full of ideas and sketches of what you envision your log home to include. And now you are looking for a building site. What should you be looking for when preparing to purchase property? Here are five important factors to consider when choosing your building site. Where will you build? We all have a general idea of where we want to build our dream home. Maybe you envision your home tucked into trees on the side of a mountain or n…
101 Design Ideas
If you are in the process of designing a log home, or just dreaming about it, this room-by-room list is designed to spark your imagination and help ensure that you include all of your needs and wants in your floorplan. Photo by Karl Neumann Great Rooms 1. Position windows to “frame” the picture of your view. 2. Anchor a large living area with a stone fireplace; it will provide a natural focal point in harmony with the outdoors. 3. Use hand-forged log straps to add a custom touch to your home. 4. Give yo…
Close to Heaven
Mother Nature outdid herself imbuing mountains, ocean, and lush forests into the Pacific Northwest. The outdoors becomes integrated into the lifestyle in these environs. It’s an opportunity that doesn’t go unnoticed for one former Seattle family now residing just outside the Bavarian-like town of Leavenworth, Washington. As avid hikers and skiers the active threesome, mom, dad, and son, often find themselves outside as much as inside. This led them to seriously considering buying a vacation home over a …