We met Malcolm Stewart of Rocky Top Log Furniture & Railing when we were in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee for the Log Home and Timber Frame Show. The company’s main warehouse is in Byantsville, Kentucky, but this location in Tennessee (1152 Wears Valley Road/865-774-7662) is their only public showroom.
Rocky Top was scheduled to be at the Log Home Show, but they’re currently working on an upcoming episode of Extreme Home Makeover (they’re “regulars” on the show now!), so they weren’t able to be there. Fortunately for us, Malcolm was in the showroom the day of the Log Home Show and he gave us a personal tour around the place.
Our favorite things from Rocky Top Log Furniture
On this particular day, I wanted to order one of each…
100% Smooth Porch Swings.
I tested out both the Blue Ridge Line and the Garden Line, and the Garden Line wins hands down. While both were perfectly steady, perfectly balanced, and perfectly smooth, I liked the wider planks on the seat (a big deal) and the curved back along the seat (more for looks than anything) of the Garden Line. I’m guessing we’d choose the “swing only” version for the porch on our log home, but there wasn’t one of those on site for me to “test drive”. I presume it would swing similarly and just as smoothly.
To determine how much space would be needed to accommodate the Garden Line porch swing, we measured. It looks like 8 ft x 8 ft of porch space would give you enough clearance for the “swing and frame set”.
Signature 2-Drawer Wardrober.
Malcolm told us that this particular wardrober was designed by Rocky Top Log Furniture & Railings specifically for Walt Disney World. They had requested a compact dresser /slash/ closet space that wouldn’t take up much room in their grande hotel rooms. I can see why this one fits the bill!
I fell in love with this wardrober — especially for a guest bedroom, or a child’s room.
Bonus tip for the dog lovers out there… If you’re a dog owner who buys tons and tons of “doggie clothing” for your beloved four-legged friend (…you know who you are), THIS would make the perfect doggie wardrober! There’s plenty of space to store stuff in drawers and a place to hang those items which need to be hung. And everything’s hidden away behind solid doors. Plus, it’s not too big… and it’s not too small. It’s just right! Just a thought…
Low-Profile Rockers.
Their Blue Ridge line of rockers don’t have what I call the “kick bar”. You know, that brace down by your feet that prevents you from swinging your feet all the way back under the chair. So instead, you hit the bar that’s there, and you wince in pain every time you’re reminded that it’s there.
I rocked til my heart’s content in one of these while Jim and Malcolm discussed everything from taxidermy to staining furniture. My summary: a rock around the clock in a low-profile rocking chair like this gets 2 thumbs WAY up from me!
Chaise Lounge Chairs.
Now we didn’t see these in the showroom, but they definitely look like fun! I especially like the 2-seater… cuz whenever Jim’s not around, I’m sure that either Destin or Tenor would enjoy spending some time lounging around outdoors with me. (Wait, but then they would be called “bark-a-loungers”, right?)
Check it out… you can even get an umbrella for the Double Chaise Lounge?! I think this would be a charming addition to any log home deck or patio.
Rocky Top’s Unique Style
Overall, Rocky Top Log Furniture is a little too “perfect” for our taste. Not that that’s a fault… it’s more like a preference. Many many people prefer the clean lines and the perfectly smooth edges in their log home furniture. We’re looking for more “rough around the edges” and “some wear & tear” that gives the illusion that they’ve stood the test of time.
While we probably won’t be furnishing our whole house in the Rocky Top style, we are seriously considering including 1 or 2 items in specific places inside our log home.
We’ve gone through the entire process of designing and planning every single detail of our dream log home! We have the blueprints… and the land… and the contractor… and the goal for our log cabin home to be our retirement home. Before you build (or buy) a log home, I have a slew of helpful tips for you — to plan, design, build, decorate, and maintain your very own rustic modern log home. When I’m not fine-tuning the log home of my dreams, you’ll find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites). To date, I’ve written nearly 300 articles for current and future log home owners on this site! Many of them have over 50K shares.
