Log Cabin Homes Magazine

Eco-Friendly Fireplaces, Wood Stoves, & Alternatives

by Jennifer Donahue | Jul 9, 2021 | Designing, How-To, Planning

Nothing sets a cozy, romantic mood like the crackle of a fire in the fireplace. The smell, the warmth and the glow can make a house feel like home. But for heating purposes, are fireplaces or stoves an environmentally-sound choice? The answer depends on the fireplace or stove you choose, the fuel you use and how you operate it. Traditional wood-burning fireplaces can lose as much as 90 percent of their heat through the chimney, making them less than ideal as a primary heat source. Luckily, today t…

A Mountain Refuge, A Log-Friendly Development

by Donna Peak, all photos: Rocky Mountain Log Homes | Jul 9, 2021 | How-To, Planning

When it comes to majestic mountains paired with unique woodland beauty, Montana’s Bitterroot Valley doesn’t need much help. Guarded by the rounded, lightly forested Sapphire Mountain range to the east, the glacial, rugged Bitterroot Range to the west, and canopied by a crystal-clear sky, this low-lying gem is awash in natural beauty. Yet, in 1996, the region’s lush surroundings got a definite boost—the Stock Farm community was born. Actually, Stock Farm can trace its roots back to 1888, when coppe…

Money-Saving Kitchen Ideas

by Tracy M. Ruff | Jul 9, 2021 | Designing, How-To, Kitchens, Room-By-Room

In every issue we will bring you money-saving ideas for your new log home. This time we focus on kitchens. Include a functional built-in pantry. Save money on purchasing a tall pantry cabinet from your cabinet supplier and make a pantry closet on the job site. Use commercial-grade, long-lasting shelving for super function, recommends Susan Serra, a certified kitchen designer in Huntington, New York. Use open shelves. Open shel…

Building for Retirement

by Debra Grahl | Jul 9, 2021 | Building, How-To, Planning

Retirement is a phase of our lives that requires very careful planning. In addition to making sure that we have enough monetary security to comfortably embark upon retirement status, deciding on where to live and what type of home to dwell in is nearly as important. Mark Elliott, vice president of New Hampshire-based Coventry Log Homes, celebrating its 20-year anniversary in 2014, says his company produces 25 to 30 percent of their homes for retirees. “The volu…

A New (Old) Oregon Farmhouse

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

As the owner of Oregon Log Homes, Mike Neary has nearly 40 years of experience supplying and building custom log homes around the country. From weekend cabins to large-scale commercial projects (including Disney’s Fort Wilderness Lodge in Orlando, Florida), he’s pretty much seen it all. So when the time came for Mike and his wife, Patti, to build on their property near Dufur, Oregon, he had a pretty good idea of what he wanted. In this case, what the Nearys wanted was a home that would bl…

17 Design Ideas For Outdoor Spaces

by Jennifer Donahue | Jul 9, 2021 | Designing, How-To, Outdoor Spaces, Room-By-Room

Outdoor spaces 1. Consider putting a small swimming pool in a screened-in porch; you can enjoy a refreshing swim while still being protected from the sun. 2. Think about creating outdoor space up high for a different perspective on your property. Perfect for stargazing! 3. Add a fireplace to a covered deck for an outdoor room you’ll enjoy even on the chilliest nights. 4. Add a ceiling fan to your screened porch or covered deck to keep air moving when you can’t c…

18 Bathroom Design Ideas

by Jennifer Donahue | Jul 9, 2021 | Baths, Designing, How-To, Room-By-Room

1. Allow light and air into your bathroom with plenty of windows. If privacy is an issue, add frosting or attractive window treatments. 2. Use a pedestal sink in a small space. You may lose some storage, but your floor space will look much bigger. 3. Get creative with fixtures. A slender tree with extending branches is a natural choice for hanging towels. 4. Use an antique wooden ladder instead of a towel bar. 5. Choose a copp…

To DIY or Not to DIY

by Mike Haskew | Jul 9, 2021 | Building, How-To, Planning

Serious research, careful planning, and good old sweat equity help put the brakes on cost when building that perfect log home. Each lends itself to a more reasonable bottom line, bringing value and satisfaction to the process while potentially lowering the “hassle factor.” While research and planning are basic, some log home owners choose to invest their own talent and expertise during the construction process, performing certain tasks themselves rather than paying a premium for contracted services. Fro…

A Family Tradition

by Margaret A. Haapoja | photography Roger Wade | Styling Debra Grahl | Jul 9, 2021 | Entire Home, Room-By-Room

The Duke family history is permeated with a love of the outdoors that can be traced back to David’s father. He loved to hike in the mountains and built a cabin for his family near Hebrew, Utah, when he was 70. When he died, he left the cabin in trust for his six children. David and Hanne Duke vacationed at that cabin with their children for many years. “We really enjoyed the chance to bond as a family and be in a beautiful place in nature,” David says. “We decided that it would be nice to have a place l…

Storing Heat from the Sun

by By Jennifer Donohue | Jul 9, 2021 | Energy Efficiency, How-To

There are many ways to store the heat from sunlight that enters your home, including stone floors and masonry interior walls. Another way people are choosing to capture that heat is through the use of Trombe walls . Trombe walls are named after Felix Trombe, the French engineer who developed them. The technique is to build a portion of the south wall of the home with a high thermal mass material such as concrete, then cover and seal it with a pane of glass a few inches from the surface of the wall on th…

Maximizing Energy Efficiency

by Mike Haskew | Jul 9, 2021 | Energy Efficiency, How-To, Planning

For decades the assessment of energy efficiency in log homes has been the subject of debate. Building codes differ from one jurisdiction to another, while climate, cost, and quality of construction also weigh in. Finding the proper balance to achieve the necessary efficiency means identifying the components of log construction that will realize the best return on investment. Rob Pickett has spent more than 40 years in the log home industry, operating his own…

Tall Tale

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

Appalachian Log Homes, based in Knoxville, Tennessee, prides itself on providing unique character logs to their clients when requested. “I will never forget,” says the company’s vice-president, Dave Carter Jr., “the character log installation at the Atwill/Peck cabin in West Virginia.” Steve Atwill had come across a special piece of wood that he wanted to serve as a support post and artistic focal point for his 20 x 26 cabin. “Normally,” relates Carter, “we arrive on site with our load of logs and stack…