Creating Your Perfect Home
Creating Your Perfect Home

Stock, Custom, or Somewhere in Between?

Building a home from the ground up can be a dream come true: the chance to configure, room by room, the home you always wanted just the way you always envisioned it. You may have a file full of magazine clippings or favorite ideas bookmarked on your computer. But when the time comes to commit to a floorplan, it’s hard to know where to start. A log or timber frame home is a major investment, so it’s worth taking some time to make sure the home of your dreams truly…

A Welcome Change of Pace

Consider the roots of log home construction: Wikipedia cites the first were built in heavily forested northern Europe, during the Bronze Age, about 3500 bc. Reflect on the use of raw logs, wind fallen or otherwise crudely harvested throughout the centuries, for tipis, lean-tos, temporary nomadic shelters. We, ourselves, as kids, may have built these primitive fortifications in our backyard woods (my brothers and I did), or on hiking expeditions in the wildernes…

Mountain Life

Many people dream about a relaxing getaway, and for log home enthusiasts, a home in the mountains may be the ideal choice. Not only do the mountains offer breathtaking views, but often they offer exciting glimpses of wildlife and proximity to outdoor activities such as skiing or hiking.  “A mountain home is a place that’s laid back and away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life,” says Sarah Smith, marketing coordinator at Blue Ridge Log Cabins in C…

A Lasting Connection

There are different parts of a log home’s exterior that can make a real statement. It could be the log profile or the wraparound porch. Maybe it’s the roofline. But there is one element that is unmistakable: chinking. Chinking is that wide white strip between log courses that characterizes the exterior of some log homes. It is both eye catching and purposeful. “I find that customers are attracted to log homes with chinking for one of two reasons,” says Mathew Ste…

Give Me a Home

Don and Carrie Mann are in love with life, and it’s a good life indeed. Their menagerie of dogs, ducks, and horses keeps them happily occupied on the home front.  A rewarding veterinary practice, airplane for spontaneous getaways, and log home on 12 acres of bucolic central Ohio countryside don’t leave much to want for. “Then there’s Carrie’s goat,” jokes Don, “which tempers the goodness of it all with a little bit of an evil element.”  It’s about a 10-minute drive from the center of Moun…

The Language of Milled Log Homes

There is a lot of specific terminology involved with log and timber frame homes. Sometimes it feels like a whole new language! From different building styles to joinery, it helps to know just what you’re talking about. Often, you’ll hear references made to “milled” logs or “milled log homes”. What makes a log home milled, and how is it different from other log homes? “A milled log home uses logs that are put through a saw mill or planer and cut&…

Putting Down Roots

Allen Halcomb began his architectural design career in 1983. Based in Knoxville, Tennessee, he works from East Coast to West, as well as internationally. His specialty is working with log, timber, stone, and other natural elements to create classic, timeless designs. If there is one principle his firm, MossCreek Designs, was founded on, and which continues today, it is a dedication to the design of rustic-style homes. Be it a design based on local history and tradition, or a new style altogether, the co…

Never Better

The year 2011 will be critical for housing. It’s no secret that increases in unemployment claims and foreclosures have caused the economy to tumble over the latter half of the past decade, and housing, particularly new-construction starts, has endured the disconcerting aftermath of a lack of consumer confidence.  However, the fourth quarter of 2010 brought with it a slight shift in the economic outlook, and, perhaps, hope. “We all recognize that over the past several years, the h…

17 Kitchen Design Ideas

1. Consider flagstone instead of hardwood floors; it is durable enough to last in even the busiest kitchen. 2. Incorporate universal design, with wider access and lower cabinets to make the kitchen easy to use at any age or ability. 3. Add a bar-height island or peninsula to increase seating capacity. An open floorplan allows guests to linger in the kitchen without crowding out the cook. 4. Showcase your design aesthetic in your kitchen. Contemporary stainless-steel appliances or a…

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…

Floorplan Considerations

Artistic architectural elements, a spectacular view, or even classic décor elements can combine to create a home of unspeakable beauty and functionality. But one element knits it all together: the floorplan. Whether the floorplan is selected from a design book or created as a one-of-a-kind design by a homeowner and architect team, it tells a story about a family and how they live in a home. “When considering your floorplan, think about your personal preference in regard to style…

Four Tips for Greening Your Great Room

These days everyone’s favorite color seems to be “green.” In a log cabin, there’s no better place to showcase the benefits and the beauty of this eco-minded hue better than the great room. Whether your goal is to protect Mother Earth, save some cash on your monthly electric bill, or ensure your home has that natural, rustic touch, these four fantastic options will take your family’s everyday living space from good to great.  Reclaimed Wood Think you can’t do…