Log & Timber Home Living magazine is the ultimate guide to log, timber and hybrid homes. Expect expert advice on everything from floor plan design to materials and maintenance, as well as inspiring home tours, decorating ideas and more!
IF YOUR FAMILY IS anything like mine, you probably grew up hearing the classic adage, “Looks don’t matter — it’s what’s inside that counts.” It’s certainly a creed to live by, if only it were entirely true. While I absolutely agree with the second half of the saying, the fact is that looks do matter. Design lies at the heart of everything, from our homes to our cars to our phones. We not only want the items we use on a daily basis to function to their fullest, they also have to look good in the process. Fortunately, when it comes to home design, beauty and functionality can go hand in hand. A smart layout with well-planned features can elevate even the simplest choices to something very special. On the…
JULY IS National Log Homes Month, which means we’ll be celebrating all month long at loghome.com/celebrate-with-us. Head there for contests, exclusive digital content and so much more! WHEN DESIGNING your own dream home, don’t forget to give your private sanctuary some serious consideration. Use the 10 pro tips at timberhomeliving.com/finding-the-suite-spot to achieve the ultimate bedroom retreat. CABINS PROVE it’s not so much about how many square feet you have, but what you do with them. At cabinlife.com/cozy-not-cramped we share expert insights on preventing your cabin from feeling cluttered and claustrophobic. LOVING OUR DIRT TO DONE SERIES? (Turn to page 40 to see this month’s installment!) Get behind-the-scenes insights to previous Dirt to Done series on our Youtube channel @logandtimberhomeliving. Connect with us on social media and sign up for our…
In 2022, Log & Timber Home Living toured readers Rob and Jen Reardon’s New Hampshire getaway, Eagle Ridge. Two years after they built their first log home, a nearby lot became available, and they jumped at the opportunity to do it all again — this time with adult children and grand-kids in mind. Here’s his story: Rob: Our first log home, Eagle Ridge, is on a gorgeous piece of land. But when we first saw the land it sits on, we looked at another lot as well, two properties over. I remember my wife, Jen, saying, “This is the better lot.” But unfortunately, there was a lot of work to do on it, and the first lot (the one we went with) was easier to buy and start building on.…
If you think about a garden that you’d want to spend hours enjoying, most likely it has several key features, including a variety of plant types, a harmonious balance of color and visually appealing elements that vary in height and width. These can often be achieved with tall shrubs or trellises, but another compelling choice is a fruit-bearing espalier. Similar to pruning a bonsai so it retains a small, sculpted shape, an espalier involves training a young fruit tree into a flat, somewhat two-dimensional form that grows along a wall or trellis. Not only can this give your garden a distinctive look, particularly when the espalier is in the background, it also boasts a bonus: It’s easier to prune branches and harvest the fruit. Here’s how to start, train and…
It’s also important to plant the tree in the proper place, ideally a spot with full sun during the day and about 8 linear feet of space. Often the location is against a wall, but if you’re in a full-log home or have wood siding, find another area—perhaps against a brick or stucco wall, one clad with a cement-based siding material or a long, freestanding trellis—to plant your crops. Plant and secure: Once you’ve identified the ideal location and have planted the tree, interweave some branches into the background support or secure them in some way, such as with small metal pegs or nails. You also can use twine or nursery tape, making sure to secure the branches while leaving the tips of each branch open for growth. Train through…
Apple Malus domestica Tree; Honeycrisp and ‘Red Delicious’ are great spur-bearing varieties; full sun; cold zones 4 to 9. Dwarf pear Pyrus communis Tree; ‘Bartlett’, ‘Kieffer’ and ‘Magness’ are good for espalier; full sun; cold zones 4 to 9. Flowering crabapple Malus hybrids Tree; can be trained into complex espaliers; full sun or part shade; cold zones 3 to 9. Flowering quince Chaenomeles speciosa Shrub; blooms on old growth; not all produce fruit; full sun or part shade; cold zones 4 to 8.…
