Keeping It Simple
Keeping It Simple

A Good Mix

After building and living in several different types of home, a Montana couple decided to combine logs and timber in a very innovative way. By mixing timber and stone on the outside and adding a decidedly contemporary look to the interior, they constructed a home that oozes good taste and pride of ownership. Located in Bozeman, Montana, and owned by a pair of young professionals, the two-story, 3,800-square-foot abode was built by Dovetail Construction of Bozeman. Tim Rote, Dovetail’s owner, says his co…

Signs of Spring

There may still be snow on the mountain peaks in some parts of North America, but there are many signs of the coming spring. The sun is warmer and the trees are sprouting new green foliage. The crocuses are blooming and the daffodils, lilies, and irises are showing signs of life. Indigenous animals are coming out of hibernation and reclaiming their territory (note the deer at the tree line in this photograph). Being a natural material, the wood of log & timber homes never looks b…

Lakeside Legacy

The environment and the family are certainly two causes that are linked together and worth nurturing. This fact is what prompted Hershey and Renée Gillman to build their magnificent Laurentian, Quebec, lakeside retreat. Certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), which evaluates the environmental performance of a building, the house meets the highest international rating standards in construction related to health and the environment. This state-of-the art home uses less energy, wate…

Find a Log Home Producer & Builder

The most beautiful log homes in the world all share a common bond: they started with excellent producers and builders who not only knew what they were doing, but who went the extra mile to make sure the homes exceeded their owners’ expectations.  To make sure your log home falls into this category, there are a few easy steps you can take during the planning stages. For starters, you’ll want to put the time and effort into finding a producer and builder who understand your vision, wants, and needs a…

Southern Charm

A typical Sunday afternoon at Larry and Sandi Lott’s log home feels like something out of a classic movie that’s set in the South. Sipping sweet tea and enjoying a beautiful, 360-degree view of Cyprus Black Bayou Lake, the Lotts, along with their friends and family, relax and unwind on a one-acre peninsula where the couple built their log cabin home in 2009. The Lotts, who are both retired and the owners of several homes, built their three-bedroom Benton, Louisiana, log home with the intention of r…

Heart & Soul

Tom Grove remembers vacations spent at the family cabin when he was a boy. Originally, his parents owned a condo in northern Wisconsin, but they decided to search for a cabin when a fire damaged their building. The one they chose was built of logs at the turn of the century as a hunting camp and remodeled in the 1950s. It was small with just two bedrooms, but they enjoyed it for many years.  “Then our family started growing, and we had more grandchildren,” says his mother, Jackie. “We decided we ne…

Home For The Holidays

Christmas is the time for traditions—for honoring old ones and creating new. It’s a time for decking the halls, welcoming friends, and creating memories. Last year Honest Abe Log Homes engaged stylist Lexie Nale, owner of At My Front Door in Charleston, South Carolina, to create a home for the holidays at its model in Crossville, Tennessee. We talked with Nale to get her insight and advice about decorating a log home for Christmas. “Decorating a log home offers both challenges and opportunities,” N…

Rustic Modern Makes Perfect Sense

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 …

Lighting the Way

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…

Finger Lakes Retreat

When the opportunity to build a home in which to spend their retirement years popped up, Paul and Joy jumped at it. With two grown daughters and four grandchildren, Joy and Paul were looking for a place with a quieter pace of life that would allow them to welcome family and friends throughout the year. Known for stunning scenery, the Finger Lakes region of western New York offers an abundance of year-round recreation opportunities. Nature lovers can spend their days exploring one of the area’s 26 state …

A Grand Cabin

With more than 15 years of vacation memories and two previously owned homes under their belts, it seems only natural that Jan and Bob would consider the wilds of northwest Wyoming their home away from home. “We fell in love with the area and kept going back every summer for vacation. Then we were back two or three times during the summer,” says Jan. “Bob was still working and we decided to rent a house to see if he could be away from work. During that visit, we walked around the area…

A Look Ahead

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…