Log and Timber Home Living January/February 2024

Author and psychologist Richard Carlson popularized the phrase, “Don’t sweat the small stuff,” but in our experience, paying attention to detail – even the things that may seem inconsequential – yields big results. Take bathrooms, for example. As the primary bath tends to get the lion’s share of attention, secondary bathrooms and powder rooms are often downsized to shave space and save money. It’s a smart strategy, as they typically aren’t used frequently. But, savvy designers know that there are a host of small tweaks you can make to layout and finishing choices to prevent a tiny bath from feeling cramped. Writer Karen Marley shares 10 interior designer faves on page 44. It’s not just design that can be impacted by small choices. Your construction schedule can feel the squeeze due…

For Dorinda Dombrowski, a little cabin getaway was a long-held dream. But after just a year of careful research and planning, the vision for the four-season getaway began to take shape in sharp detail. She shares how she planned, built and now enjoys her simple and serene cabin. Dorinda: I’ve always dreamed of a small cabin getaway in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It took me at least a year to plan the details of the cabin. I began at the builders’ show in Marquette, Michigan, and looked at the log home exhibitors’ displays. I also looked at magazines and spent many hours doing research online. Through all this research, I became familiar with log homes and rustic cabins. The dimensions and placement were a big priority for me. I…

When the air gets a chill and most of the plants in your garden have given all they’ve got for the year (apart from winter-hearty shrubs and cold-temp lovers like poinsettias), you may be tempted to lock your garden shed up tight and say farewell to your landscaping tasks until spring. However, putting in a little extra effort into prepping the soil now can pay off big once you’re ready to start planting again. It may even lead to a more robust growing season well into the next summer and fall. Here are some strategies to consider: Cut plants, but leave the roots: Unless the plants you’re removing have a concern, like suspected disease, it’s best to cut the stems and leaves but leave the roots in the soil. That’s because…

You’ve purchased land. You’ve got your floor plans and engineered construction docs in hand. Your builder is on board. The time has finally come — you’re ready to build that log or timber frame home you’ve been planning for months, years … maybe most of your life. With so much invested, both financially and emotionally, of course you want it to go off without a hitch. The fact is that almost every construction project experiences a delay at some point in the process. The sooner you accept that fact, the less stressful it will be. That said, there are some things you can do to mitigate or even prevent common interruptions to the construction schedule. These are five of the most frequent causes of delay that I’ve seen in my…

When you think of a log or timber home, you probably picture a lot of right angles, from the trusses overhead to the notched corners on the exterior. Big, long timbers do lend themselves to these sharp shapes, whether stacked horizontally or interlocked perpendicularly. But the beauty of log and timber (and importantly, hybrid) construction is, if you think creatively, almost anything is possible. “As soon as you take the log and you turn it vertically and you start using log columns for a structure, the design possibilities are endless,” says Murray Arnott, a log home design specialist who has a long history creating round post-and-beam structures. “I think the key is that it opens up myriad opportunities, including curved walls, circles, turrets, all of these kinds of aesthetic or…

Not ready to commit to a round room or two, much less your whole home? The otherwise simple staircase is the perfect place to dip your toes into circular design. Take these spiral stunners for example: Wind it Up By Pioneer Log Homes of British Columbia It’s no surprise to all who enter this Colorado home that the owners are passionate about wood. Built with giant Western red cedar logs from British Columbia, the beauty of big timbers is on full display. This is especially true in the entry, where spiral stairs frame up a 53-foot-tall log post. Spherical Staircase By New Energy Works In this Connecticut home, a one-of-a-kind interpretation of a traditional, stone-wrapped silo not only nods to New England’s regional styles but also makes for the perfect…