While all stains and finishes are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “green” stains have exploded onto the market during the past decade, offering an attractive alternative for environmentally conscious homeowners. These water-based products often perform as well as their oilbased counterparts. However, interior designer Stephanie Hintz of Wisconsin Log Homes points out that some oil-based stains also are kind to the earth. “I…
I recently had a major operation that resulted in several months of recovery in my home. Although I’m in my 50s, after I had surgery I felt like I was 100. I couldn’t walk beyond a few steps, go up or down stairs, or see very well. I slowly recovered and now I’m doing well. During my recovery months I had a glimpse into what life might be like when I’m much older. The experience changed me in many ways, including how I’m going to design my log & timber ho…
You hear a lot of lingo when talking about the environment and building: LEED certification, efficiency, green building, eco-friendly, sustainability. It can be overwhelming! But the simple truth is that making sensible choices in your home’s design can lead to lifelong benefits. A home that’s easy on the environment will also have lower annual operating costs, higher resale value, will consume less energy and water, and be a healthier place to live for years to come. Here are some areas of the interior…
Brad Norris graduated with a degree in architecture from Auburn University 25 years ago. His early career began with collaborating on projects in Greece, then he returned to the States, making Nashville, Tennessee his home for over two decades. Starting his own firm, Norris Architecture, in 2003, Brad, in his own words, creates “environments that utilize the primary principles of design: utility, durability, and beauty, to produce end results that reflect the unique character of each client.” Norris’s e…
Kevin and Helen Hulick had been living in the New Hampshire countryside, not far from Brattleboro, Vermont, for nearly a decade. They were reasonably comfortable in their modest gray clapboard home, situated at the bottom of a hill on a quiet residential road. “I bought the gray house back in 1986,” says Kevin. “Quite honestly, it was old and cold! Because of its location, at the bottom of the hill where the runoff collected, the foundation had given way over the years and the floors were tilted, defini…
Before they even knew each other, Mike and Renee Wright had both harbored dreams of someday living in a log cabin. Once they married in 2000, there was no question what kind of home they’d build on their 19 acres in the high valley of Crested Butte, Colorado, to accommodate their growing family, now made up of five kids and two dogs. But this wouldn’t be just any log cabin, explains Mike. “We wanted giant logs for a big, lodgey feel, like the Yellowstone lodge.” Realizing that dream…
Often, homeowners spend so much of their creative energy on floors and fixtures, walls and windows, that ceilings become an afterthought. But ceilings can make a big impact on the overall look and feel of a room. The right ceiling can brighten up a dim space or lend a den-like coziness, depending on the material you choose. Many homeowners are mixing up ceiling materials from room to room, to give each room its own character. “I’ve seen clients use anything from drywall to metal,” sa…
Once upon a time there were two lucky kids, a boy and a girl. They didn’t know one another back then, but they shared a common bond. Both were fortunate to belong to families who cherished Wisconsin’s “Northwoods” region, with its bounty of lakes and forests. They may have crossed paths at one of the region’s many summer festivals or waved at one another while water skiing. “Some of our best childhood memories are of times in northern Wisconsin,” says Deb. “Greg’s family regularly vacationed in Spooner;…
When Brenda and Charlie O’Daniels moved away from their longtime residence in Hillsborough County, Florida, after retirement, they longed for wide open spaces where they could watch the sunset every night and their pet horses and donkeys could roam freely. But they didn’t want the burden of maintaining an expansive home for just the two of them. By choosing a small-scale home, the couple was able to create a cozy design that incorporates high-end details often reserved for larger luxury homes. “We …
When selecting lights and appliances for their new abodes, many log home owners are taking the “green” route and ferreting out options that are not only more environmentally friendly than the more traditional selections, but that also incur cost savings over time. Some of those savings come in the form of fewer replacements, while others show up as cost reductions on those monthly electricity bills. One of the easiest ways to ensure that the appliances and lighting in your new home are green is b…
When Rob Wrightman sits down to talk with clients about designing and building a new, waterfront log home, one of his first tasks is to explain how such abodes have more than one “face.” Whereas a log home in a more traditional setting usually has one showcase side for passers-by to admire and comment on, the waterfront log home has at least two. “This is a very important point when building on the water,” says Wrightman, CEO a…
For Fred and Natasha Ruckel of New York City, the dream of owning a log cabin began one day when they were driving down the interstate. “Natasha and I saw a log model home off the highway,” Fred recalls. “She said that she had always wanted to have one, and so did I.” With floorplans completed and log package purchased, they bought land that offered great scenery and a perfect spot to site the home. But, this is where the dream ended and the reality took over. “We had cleared…
