Log Cabin Homes Magazine

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…

Haven of Peace

by Anne Gardon and Perry Mastrovito | photography Perry Mastrovito | Jul 9, 2021 | Entire Home, Room-By-Room

Childhood memories often play a big role in one’s adult life. For Sylvie Gagnon-Sciortino, the summer vacations she spent at her grandparents place on the shore of a lake in the Lac Supérior region of the Laurentian Mountains in Quebec were just magical. It was a haven of peace, she recalls with emotion. So it is not surprising she would choose to build her small (27-by-24-foot) log cabin in this enchanted location, especially since her family still owns the land and her parents are her nearest neighbor…

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…

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.

Luck in the Land of Enchantment

by Jennifer Donahue | photography Heidi Long | Jul 9, 2021 | Entire Home, Room-By-Room

Now the happy owners of 18 acres in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, the couple spent many days strolling through its meadow and dreaming about enjoying the mountain views it afforded. The couple knew this was the perfect spot to build their dream getaway. They originally owned a small cabin on 11 acres just up the hill from this location, and when seven additional acres became available they jumped at the opportunity to buy. “As luck would have it, the owners of the property adjacent to ours, with a view of tha…

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…

Log Cabin Legacy

by Margaret Haapoja I Photos Scott Amundson | Jul 9, 2021 | Entire Home, Room-By-Room

When Cliff and Myrna Williams were ready to build their retirement home, they wanted to duplicate their original log cabin that was built back in 1952 on Big Spider Lake near Hayward, Wisconsin. Constructed by Ted Moody, the log craftsman who built nearby Spider Lake Lodge back in the 1920s, it was decorated in Adirondack style. “We loved our old cabin,” Myrna says. “It was beautiful, but it needed a lot of repair, and it was too close to the water.” When Cliff sold his busi…

Bathing Beauty Trends

by Donna Peak | Jul 9, 2021 | Baths, Room-By-Room

Log homes are timeless. So when you’re outfitting a space, like the bathroom, where the fixtures are semi-permanent and not easily (or inexpensively) swapped out, you want get it right the first time. It’s important to make sure that this very utilitarian space looks current but won’t look dated 10 years from now. Plus, this is a space where you can really employ some environmentally friendly tactics that will preserve natural resources and save money on energy costs. Here are a few of our favorite idea…

Pennsylvania Paradise

by Mike Haskew | photography the Hilliard Photographics Group | Jul 9, 2021 | Entire Home, Room-By-Room

They call it simply “The Cabin.” On Blue Mountain in the Appalachian Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania just two hours from the bustle of the city, Tony and Dottie Differ own 3,355 square feet of freedom and relaxation. Located in the Eagle Rock Resort near the town of Haverton, The Cabin is one of 1,000 homes in the sprawling 8,800-acre development that offers tremendous amenities, both man made and natural. “It’s a private, gated area containing natural mountainous woodlands with large natural roc…

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…

Changing Hands

by Debra Grahl | Photography Roger Wade | Styling Debra Grahl | Jul 9, 2021 | Entire Home, Room-By-Room

The story of the renovated Russell Cabin begins long before the original hand-hewn log building was erected on the Swan Lake shoreline. In addition to the many fine details of the construction project, the cabin’s rich and colorful history merits some words. The first occupants of the “home site” were members of the Native American Kootenai, Flathead, and Blackhead tribes, who set up camps on this sublime stretch of shore in northwest Montana. Not only is the setting at the north end of Swan Lake (where…