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 …

Honeymoon Dreams

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

A honeymoon is that time of marriage overflowing with joy and replete with opportunities. Dreams woven. Secrets spoken. Plans laid. It was no different for Mike and Maria Alderson during their short but sweet honeymoon at Petit Jean Mountain, Arkansas, following a St. Valentine’s Day wedding in 1987. “We only had a weekend for our honeymoon,” Maria recalls, explaining why they selected a log cabin resort called Tanyard Springs that was near their home. “We discovered that we loved being in the log cabin…

The Quest for Simplicity

by Debra Grahl I photos Roger Wade I styling Debra Grahl | Jul 9, 2021 | Entire Home, How-To, Planning, Room-By-Room

Hundreds of log homes throughout North America serve as model homes for log home producers. This is one of them. Visitors are welcome at all of these homes and we encourage you to visit them. It’s a great opportunity to view different designs, construction techniques, and craftsmanship. Look at Log Home Events in this issue for listings of upcoming open houses at these model homes. Be sure to call before visiting to ensure the home will be open when you arrive. “Big things come in small packag…

Mountain Paradise

by Karen Doss Bowman | photography Mosscreek | Jul 9, 2021 | Entire Home, Room-By-Room

For a retired financier from South Carolina, the Blue Ridge Mountains proved to be the ideal getaway spot for relaxing and enjoying the outdoors. Since 2009, he and his family have enjoyed visiting their sprawling vacation log home in Highlands, North Carolina—a stunning location tucked away at 4,000 feet above sea level. “This homeowner likes the atmosphere that Highlands has to offer as a place to get away and to not be concerned about everything happening in the world,”…

A Happy History

by Debra Grahl | photography Roger Wade Studio | styling Debra Grahl | Jul 9, 2021 | Entire Home, Room-By-Room

Kristie McAden was born and raised in the mountains of North Carolina. Her husband, Mike, had always lived on the North Carolina coast. The two met while attending college at Appalachian State University in Boone, and the rest is happy history. “Mike and I started dating and pretty much saw everything eye to eye right from the start,” says Kristie, “Throughout the years of our marriage, that compatibility has remained, including our tastes in home design.” After graduating from ASU Kristie and Mike bega…

A River Runs Through it

by Jennifer Donahue | Photography Heidi Long, Longviews Studios | Jul 9, 2021 | Entire Home, Room-By-Room

After spending 30 years in the San Francisco Bay area, Rick and Janice were looking for a simple, quiet spot to retire. They found the ideal community just southeast of Coeur d’Alene in northern Idaho, where they built their 3,120-square-foot home on a 130+ acre property. Known for its rugged beauty, the area offers year-round recreation opportunities as well as plenty of space for solitude. Rick and Janice built the home for a lifetime, adhering to the standards set by the Americans with Disabilities A…

East Meets West at The Meadow

by Mike Haskew | photography Heidi Long | Jul 9, 2021 | Entire Home, Room-By-Room

It began with a passing conversation, and the result was spectacular. Charlene and Jay Wyatt have deep roots in North Carolina, but a magnificent log home, The Meadow, in the tiny town of Cloudcroft, New Mexico, has a special place in their hearts. “The Meadow is our respite,” explains Charlene. “It’s our surrendering place. We liken our home in Cloudcroft to a favorite pair of boots that you reach for naturally. They pull on easy, and the comfort always has you going back to them again and again.” The …

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…

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,…

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…