Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2023 i Log and Timber Home Living

The world of magazine publishing is a highly competitive and fickle place. The average newsstand has hundreds of titles all shouting for your attention. But it’s not about who’s the loudest. To be successful, a magazine has to provide the information its audience wants to know. It also has to stay true to its core mission while simultaneously adapting with the times. It can feel like a tightrope walk — I’m not going to lie — but the challenge is every bit as thrilling. Since magazines come and go every day, the fact that we’ve been doing what we love for 40 years and counting is a feat to celebrate. And while many publications mark this kind of milestone with a look back at where they’ve been, we think it’s…

For some of us, being asked, “Were you raised in a barn?” was a sign you’d forgotten your manners. Now, with the resurgence of farmhouse style and innovation in barn-style architecture, your answer might be, “I wish.” No longer limited to agricultural use, barn designs have been co-opted for everything from family homes to entertaining spaces, and for good reason. Taking advantage of the inherent flexibility of log and timber frame structures, barn designs are a blank canvas for customization, meaning there’s a barn-style structure for every taste and need. “Traditionally there are many barn designs. A barn-style home may have stylistic features from any one of the traditional barn profiles … perhaps a multi-level bank barn for a walkout basement arrangement or the tall central mass in the monitor…

In Callicoon, New York, nestled among rolling hills, antiqued churches and some of the best fly fishing in the country, sits a property where the past meets the future. Open for just under two years, Seminary Hill Cidery is housed in a traditional timber frame with a modern ethos that’s as forward-thinking as it is good-looking. As the world’s first “Passive House” cidery, the two-story structure meets strict sustainability requirements. The architect, James Hartford of River Architects, explains: “It’s using in the neighborhood of only 10 to 30 percent of the energy that the same building would need if built conventionally. Passive House buildings use incredibly small amounts of energy, and they’re fossil-fuel free for the most part. So, there’s no fossil fuel onsite at the cidery, except the propane-fired…

Historically, log courses were filled with materials that were regionally available. In northern Europe, they used a special moss that didn’t cause log rot. In the U.S. and other places, builders would mix horsehair or grass with mud or clay to seal the spaces between the logs and enclose the home. Today’s chinking is a scientific breakthrough, using a flexible yet adherent synthetic makeup that bridges the gaps formed by both round and square handcrafted logs. While the natural texture makes chinking an appealing option from a design standpoint, the material has other, more important, work to do. Perma-Chink Systems, a top manufacturer of log stains and sealants, shares four distinct qualities that set chinking apart from other options: 1 Chinking is breathable to let moisture escape the wood, while…

In and around the former mining town of Gunnison, Colorado, there’s a palpable respect for bygone days. In the eclectic downtown, clapboard storefronts house hip craft breweries and one-of-a-kind boutiques, serving as a reminder of the area’s boom-to-bust-to-boom-again history. From there, a single highway runs south of the city, tracking along desert-like vistas, which include a series of granite outcroppings that give off a decidedly Wild West feel. Against this sepia-toned backdrop lies a stretch of land known to locals as Odom Ranch. Established in the 1870s, the sprawling property — bordered by flat pastureland on one side and funky rock formations on the other — served as a working ranch for decades. When the last owner passed away in 2010, leaving no heirs behind, the homestead was suddenly a…

Q: How do I save money without compromising my vision for my dream home? A: Having and sticking to a realistic budget prevents your log or timber dream home from becoming a nightmare. The first step is to plan in advance what you want, need and can afford. Use these smart strategies to achieve building and budgeting success. ▪ Be honest about your budget. For your home to live up to your expectations, everyone needs to be on the same page before you start the design-build process. Your team of experts may surprise you with what’s possible within your price range.▪ Focus on rightsizing. Think about your lifestyle and your needs both now and in the future, like whether you’ll need lots of entertaining space or room for a home…

Adapted from Garden Gate magazine with permission Spotted cucumber beetles Spotted cucumber beetles’ favorite plants Most any type of flower; also beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, melons and other edibles. What type of damage do cucumber beetles cause? Adults chew irregular holes in flowers, leaves and fruit from summer to fall, and larvae (known as Southern corn root-worm) often transmit bacterial wilt disease. In addition to chewing holes, the adult cucumber beetle can carry bacterial wilt and cucumber mosaic virus, both of which quickly kill plants. How to control spotted cucumber beetles Mix up and water beneficial nematodes into the soil late in the day in midsummer to control the larvae. To get rid of beetles, grow plants that attract natural predators, such as braconid wasps. Japanese beetles Japanese beetles’ favorite plants…

Gambrel Roofs “That raised center with the gambrel roof, that’s an iconic look. Even with modifications and modernization, they harken back to that historic barn and roofline.” – Cody Wortmann, Timberlyne Simplicity “A major idea of barn style is the simplicity of it. I think a lot of times, it’s quite the achievement to do something that’s simple and elegant at the same time.” – Jim Driesch, Timberpeg Open Concepts “Large, open spaces are a staple of the barn idea. Sometimes structures in the barn style might be one big great room. Off that, there might be a bedroom or two with big, open, vaulted ceiling space.” – Jim Driesch, Timberpeg Rustic Exterior Materials “For an authentic look, wood shakes, wood clapboard siding or wood board-and-batten siding are appropriate. Reverse…

Jeff and Debbie Kolod know firsthand the truth behind the saying, “If you build it, they will come.” The couple’s waterfront house, situated on one of Maine’s most popular lakes, is a bustling hub for their crew of 21. The family, which includes a mix of adult children, their spouses and 13 grandchildren, are drawn to the property by the promise of time together. “It’s like summer camp,” says Debbie of the house, affectionately dubbed Bear Cove. “You can swim on the sandy beach, kayak, gish off the dock; there’s always something cooking over the fire pit.” (In the winter, it’s ice fishing and snowmobiling that capture the crowd.) The carefree vibe feels completely natural — “Kids can just be kids here,” declares Debbie — but the laid-back approach is…

Looking for a kitchen that embraces the future rather than lives in the past? We’ve consulted with two home-design pros who share all the ways log and timber home kitchens have been on the forefront of charming-yet-functional design. WHAT’S NEW IN layout Far from a trend, open-concept kitchens have been a log and timber home mainstay for the better part of two decades. But there is a definite move toward separating prep and entertaining areas with butler’s pantries off the main kitchen. Once reserved for luxury homes, these small (usually hall-like) spaces, are coming in hot in everyday home design. Finally, you can have the wide-open look you’ve come to love while also keeping kitchen essentials hidden but close at hand. “My clients are loving it because you can have…

The prospect of building a custom house on a virgin piece of property is a large part of the appeal of building a log or timber home. And while most people realize and accept that they’ll need to figure out how to source electrical, water and septic services, there are other aspects to consider when you’re developing raw land. It all starts with location. Find the Best Site on the Site You may think that once you’ve purchased that perfect parcel, your concern with finding the ideal location is over, but it’s not. Next, you have to define the best location to place the house on that property. This where you’ll start the initial clearing, but underlying site conditions, such as the soil itself, bedrock, flood-plain issues, etc., may require…

Dr. Barth Conard, a retired orthopedic trauma surgeon and Indiana resident, recounts his family’s experience setting up camp at their Kentucky cabin getaway. My wife is from Louisville, Kentucky, and has a big family. Maybe it’s like this everywhere, but people from Louisville like to move back to Louisville. (As a matter of fact, she’s telling me we’re going to move back there!) So, it was necessary to have a presence near her family, and this home appealed to us because it was in the wilderness. It’s a 5-acre lot with its own septic field. It feels very isolated, like you’re in the absolute hills and hollers of Kentucky, yet it’s only 20 minutes from Louisville. We’ve had the chance to be all over the place, and I just really…

The Farmhouse by Hochstetler Log Homes Square Footage: 2,516 Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 3 One reason barn-style homes’ popularity is so everlasting? “Easy. It’s nostalgia,” explains Steve. This plan brings it home — literally. A fresh design from the team at Hochstetler, this plan recalls the type of abode you might find perched atop a hill on a farm. The interior layout takes advantage of log and timber construction, with wide-open entertaining spaces, perfect for feeding and entertaining a crowd. Come in from a hard day’s work and drop dirty boots and clothes directly in the laundry room, conveniently accessed from the back porch. Speaking of porches, with porch space on three of four sides, this country home sets the stage for down-home, laid-back living. The Lincoln by Timberlyne Square Footage:…

The countertops you select for your home — whether in the kitchen, bathroom, wet bar, outdoor kitchen or otherwise — are among the key places where the marriage of form and function is truly put to the test. From on-trend marble to low-maintenance quartz to innovative PaperStone, the options are endless. Using this quick guide (and with lifestyle, budget and personal preference in mind), settling on the right choice should be no real debate in the end. WHAT’S POPULAR According to the 2023 Houzz U.S. Kitchen Trends study, countertops are the number one upgrade renovating homeowners commit to in their cook space, just ahead of backsplashes and sinks. So, what are they changing? The report indicates multi-colored counters are continuing to decline in popularity, while white countertops are continuing their…

I was barely a teenager when Log Home Living, the cornerstone of a small, family-owned publishing company, was founded in 1983. What’s even more astonishing to me is that I’ve spent three-quarters of my professional life in the log and timber home industry. Before joining the magazine in 2000 as a young associate editor, I’d job-hopped for years, writing everything from advertising copy to aerospace news. It wasn’t until I landed at Log Home Living that I felt like I’d found my home. Just like our readers, I fell in love with logs and timbers and the warmth of wood dwellings; but it was the warmth of the people behind these homes that sealed the deal for me. To mark our 40th anniversary, we could have done what most magazines…

With steady progress in the completion of their log home odyssey, Jim and Michele Ducharme simultaneously zeroed in on the aesthetic and the pragmatic as they approached the installation of their mechanicals, as well as the materials that would provide the look and feel they wanted in the home’s exterior. As they assessed the proper size and positioning of HVAC and other systems, their tastes and desires blended with the necessities of efficiency and cost. “In terms of the mechanicals, we had a few important requirements that we wanted the various contractors to solve for us,” relays Jim. “First, and most importantly, we knew we wanted central air, but we didn’t want to have baseboards or any obviously visible units – mini-splits for example – for the heating. We also…