Innholdsfortegnelse for June/July 2021 i Log and Timber Home Living

In a structure as architecturally interesting as a log or timber frame home, it’s important not to neglect what’s often referred to as the “fifth” wall — the ceiling. After all, what would have happened if Michelangelo left the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel bare? We’re not suggesting that you need to cover your ceiling in frescoes or murals (though that, too, can make quite a statement — see the sidebar “What to Do with Drywall”), but there are a variety of shapes, details and applications you can add above that will both impress and inspire. Read on to learn the ins and outs of six of the most fitting ceiling treatments you’ll find in a log or timber home. Tray. Used as a flat ceiling treatment, the tray is…

For most, packing up the car and heading to the mountains every now and again is a welcome breath of fresh air. But when you live year-round in the city that never sleeps, escaping to the country for a weekend getaway is more like a life-sustaining gulp of oxygen after too deep of a dive. One family of five who resides in Manhattan — the smallest and most densely populated borough of New York City — knows this well. During the week, the family, which includes three teenage-children and a mop-headed Bernedoodle, occupy a three-bedroom, pre-war apartment building on the Upper West Side. But come Friday, they trade the pungent smell of the city for crisp mountain air; towering skyscrapers for monolithic hickory and maple trees; and the cacophonous sound…

When most people think about building with logs or timbers, they envision a full house with several bedrooms, adjoining baths and the standard living/kitchen/dining great room. But logs and timber frames have many other applications than primary residences or even vacation cabins. Sometimes, all you need is a private sanctuary right in your own back yard The projects we examine here are exactly that — escapes from everyday life. Call them outbuildings, accessory dwelling units, man caves, she-sheds or any of the other monikers these structures have taken on over the years, these buildings are at once unique and united: They all showcase the creativity of log and timber frame design and construction. THE PASCHKE POOL HOUSE Designed as a backyard playground where a busy couple and their family can…

One thing about timber homes, you usually don’t find them in a subdivision. They’re surrounded by a healthy acreage in the backcountry or perched on a cliff above a river or, in the case of the Peg McVay and Tony Stamm’s home, nestled along a hillside in the Colorado Rockies. The site of a timber home can be just as grand as its posts, beams and vaulted ceilings, and that means extra planning and preparation when it comes to site prep. “In the three decades I’ve been building homes, we started with topography maps and I was walking every single site. Now, even in preliminary meetings, when we’re having our first conversation, we’ll bring them live on our screen and look at the satellite view,” explains Bob Sternquist, owner and…

On the fence between hand-hewn and smooth-planed timbers? Some companies offer semi-sanded timbers that feature a rough-hewn appearance with intact saw marks but are still relatively smooth to the touch. One of the most impactful choices you’ll make during the process of building a timber home is selecting the texture of those timbers. While it may not sound as exhilarating as designing the floor plan or choosing a cabinetry style, the exposed frame will have a direct effect on the look and feel of your interior, making texture one of the most important and visible features in the house. The pressure is on! Fortunately, we’re here to help with a rundown of three popular options and a little guidance on the best pick for your new home’s posts and beams.…

In Barrière, British Columbia, so named for the obstacles set by First Nations peoples to funnel fish in the Barrière river, the Delaneys have refurbished a tiny cabin from the sunset of the trapper era. After a century of neglect, the logs still stood. Chris Delaney: The original cabin was built in 1903 at the tail end of the fur trade. It was a trapper’s cabin. There’s a little creek that runs 30 feet from the cabin, and when we were renovating three years ago, my wife was digging around in the area near the creek, and she dug up a little trap, so that was our confirmation of its former life! The cabin is 650 square feet inside and then the deck is another 450 feet, so it’s about…

The lure of Fence Lake and the surrounding forests of towering pines and beautiful birches were nothing new to Jim and Donna Wilkes. It captured their hearts years ago. When the couple acquired a small cabin and two-plus acres of land on the shore, they knew it was a place they would eagerly return to. So, when their plans evolved to permanent residency, the adventure was dramatic and satisfying. “We’re only the third owners of this property,” relays Jim, a retired orthopedic surgeon who practiced in the city of Wisconsin Rapids for 32 years. “When we bought it, there was an old cabin, built in 1948, that had been added onto later. It included two bedrooms, one bath, a small kitchen and a living room. We got up here regularly…

When it comes to the majestic luxury of Dale and Carol Steffens’ log post-and-beam home overlooking Beaver Lake in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, the numbers are revealing: 10,000 interior square feet and nearly 5,000 more outside, including two separate garages, a carport and several decks and patios. Five bedrooms and seven bathrooms, plus two bunkrooms and a sleeping nook, ensure guests never feel cramped. Four wood-burning fireplaces and a wood stove keep everything cozy. Two laundry rooms and a three-story elevator add ease and convenience. Construction of this wood manor required nine 18-wheeler flatbed loads of hand-selected, Douglas fir logs shipped from British Columbia. In a word, it’s a masterpiece. But builder, Jared Christians, lead carpenter with LBH Construction, would call the Steffens’ home “a springboard of artistic opportunity.”…

THE JOHNSON CHAPEL Situated on the edge of a forest and overlooking a tranquil pond, this 902-square-foot private chapel in central Ohio is a serene spot to meditate. The beauty of this building lies in its simplicity and ties to nature. White oak timber posts join together in an elegant king-post truss at the peak of the vaulted roof, from which a graceful twig chandelier is suspended. Outside, cedar shakes and a stone apron blend the building into its woodland surroundings. THE WILKES BOATHOUSE Nestled along the shore of Fence Lake in Wisconsin, the boathouse has its own brand of appeal. Built by Tomahawk Log & Country Homes, the 300-square-foot half-log structure is simple by design. It’s only 10 feet from the water and has a garage door that rolls…

We all know that building a new dream log and timber home is a big investment, but it’s also a priceless opportunity to choose modern building materials that outperform the dated technology in the used-home market. So, while you’re at the drawing board, why not make life in your home easier and healthier? Whether it’s incorporating greenbuilding materials, aging-in-place products or healthy-home innovations, the greatest driver to introduce upgrades into your home plans is the proof of their return on investment — and we don’t just mean in terms of operational cost savings. For instance, research shows that green building can have positive psychological and physiological impacts on inhabitants and even visitors. As the costs for sustainable building materials and products continue to drop, more buyers can afford to enter…

It’s easy to catch the log home bug. Just ask the Washington, D.C., couple who, after visiting a friend’s log home in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, itched to have one of their own. After a hectic work week, they wanted a place to unwind that was a manageable drive from home but felt a world away. And when that much anticipated day came as they pronounced they’d become log homeowners themselves, they made two key decisions: They chose a parcel of land with a large pond and rolling hills in Adams County, Pennsylvania (about a 90 minute drive from D.C.), and they selected Knoxville, Tennessee-based StoneMill Log & Timber Homes to draft and craft the house. But the couple didn’t start from scratch. Wisely, they began with one of StoneMill’s pre-existing…

1 The cathedral window and the inviting fireplace present a cozy area for family and friends to congregate. The full-log beams provide dramatic accents to this popular spot as well. 2 The wine cellar’s unique floor is covered in 26,000 pennies that Donna and her best friend, Mary Sabo, spent a New Year’s weekend spacing and gluing into place, and the $260 investment was completed with spectacular results. All the pennies are heads-up except for 27 wheat pennies placed tails-up for contrast. “We used black grout between the pennies and sealed it with a clear epoxy,” Jim explains. “It gives the illusion of walking onto a wet floor.” 3 The lower level of the home includes a variety of fun amenities. “We have a full bar and game table with…

1 Douglas fir timbers provide rugged support to the fully covered lakeside deck. An Arkansas fieldstone fireplace anchors one side. Trex decking makes the 100-foot-long space nearly maintenance free. 2 In keeping with Italian wine cellar tradition, the room is encased almost entirely of stone. Limestone floors and fieldstone walls give the space a subterranean feel. The antique, backlit, stained-glass ceiling was sourced from an infamous Chicago pool hall. 3 Carol loves luxurious, high-quality finishes, and the vintage Waterford crystal chandelier brings sparkling romance to the master suite. 4 Occupying a cozy spot in the lower level’s hallway, four bunks were designed for the grandkids. Drawers under the lower beds provide personal storage. Every bunk is equipped with a reading light and a plug for charging devices. Pictures of family…

It’s fun to dream big. And even though we realize that not everyone is in the market for a substantially sized home, these plans are not large for the sake of size alone — they combine creative footprints, smart room arrangements and clever amenities that transform generous layouts into cozy and comfortable places to live. So whether you are actively looking to upsize or are simply seeking brilliant ideas to weave into a plan on a more modest scale, these 10 designs are as innovative as they come. BROKEN ARROW II INTERNATIONAL HOMES OF CEDAR cedarleader.com SQUARE FOOTAGE 3,954 BEDROOMS 4 BATHS 4 full, 1 half IT’S NOT UNCOMMON for log home design to feature a prow — the slanted shape that comes to a point, like the front of…