The nation’s premier log home magazine, Log Home Living encourages the dream of log home ownership. Each issue celebrates the log home lifestyle, provides practical advice, and offers photo tours of the nation’s most beautiful log homes.
When my brother calls me up with a story from “the cabin,” I know he means the efficient little barndominium-style structure on our family’s hunting property in Mississippi. That “cabin” looks a whole lot different than the types I encounter out here in Colorado, where I hike past centuries-old relics of pioneer days and attend bluegrass shows in a 100-year-old log cabin inn on the weekends. And yet, those are still different from the cool and contemporary Airbnbs that I’ve pocketed on Pinterest and Instagram for “one-day” getaways in upstate New York and along the West Coast. Cabin and cottages can take so many forms – just take a look at the cozy abodes featured in this issue. On page 12, a hybrid home combining conventional construction and big timbers…
"We bought the farm!” This tongue-in-cheek announcement We from Kathy Bintz comes with a chuckle. Being married to a retired Air Force pilot, she knows the origins of the phrase are often traced back to aviators describing a final (and fatal) descent. Thankfully, her husband Don is alive and well, and “buying the farm” was far from the end of their story. In fact, purchasing the 160-acre family property was the beginning of a new chapter of their life — albeit one that took two decades to unfold. The Bintzes purchased the land from Don’s mother in the year 2000 in the hopes of putting down roots in the small Wisconsin town where they had fallen in love as high school sweet-hearts. It would be the perfect place to build…
The idea of “cozy” isn’t any one thing — it’s a look, a smell, a feeling a space gives you. It’s a modern A-frame in the woods and a quaint cottage by the sea. It’s the aroma of a campfire in the evening and the flavor of hot coffee on the porch in the morning. It’s abstract, but it’s not hard to create — in fact, simplicity is often a major player in “coziness.” However, in today’s world of high-speed, high-tech, high-cost … coziness can feel like a long-lost friend. Use these eight easy tips to invite it back into your space. 1 Add Instant History Start with what you use to build (or renovate and restore!) Materials that are reclaimed, recycled, upcycled and salvaged (think: wood from an…
Camp Summer of ’69 Pocono Pines, Pennsylvania This time capsule of a cabin transports guests back to summers where things were simpler. “It’s about playing cards or a game of checkers and getting outside,” says former owner Michael Dembinski, who’s responsible for the cabin’s renovation. The A-frame is the place to be in any season, with skiing in the winter and Lake Naomi right down the road for warmer weather. Guests: 5 Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 1 Book it: Airbnb.com Roaring Fork Lodge Gatlinburg, Tennessee Bring the whole family because this lodge has room — and amenities — to spare. Step out onto one of the many sprawling porches at the Roaring Fork Lodge, and you’ll see how the getaway got its name. This log lodge is perched high above one…
Making the most of the cabin or cottage experience has always involved a strong connection to the outdoors. So, it’s no great leap to think “solar” as an energy source when it’s time to build or renovate. And now, thanks to innovative new ways to incorporate solar into one’s design, homeowners who have dismissed going off the grid in the past can reimagine the possibility of comfortable, clean energy. “The first benefit is the solar alternative to the present reliance on fossil fuels and its benefits to the homeowner and society as a whole,” explains Portland, Oregon-based Jonathan Orpin, the founder of New Energy Works, which specializes in authentic timber framing and energy-focused design. “Solar can do a lot with the use of the sun as it hits panels and…
"Good things come to those who wait.” This was definitely the case for Paul Perron, owner of this Scandinavian-style log cabin and a living embodiment of the maxim. “I always wanted a log cabin, but I also wanted it in the right location. It’s not something you build just anywhere, like next to modern houses, for example,” he explains. Paul was looking for a secluded spot with no neighbors in sight; somewhere close to a main thoroughfare for easy access, flat terrain to build on and a sizable lot with a private road — quite a tall order! The existing private road was essential; being a real estate agent, he knew how difficult it would be to get a road-construction permit from the municipality. His profession should have made his…
