You can take advantage of that when choosing ornaments for the tree by selecting rustic-looking Christmas decorations like these Christmas ornaments that would look great in a log home. You might notice some similar patterns, like:

• Green garland
• Red, white, or yellow Christmas lights
• Holly
• Wreaths
• Deep red ribbons and bows
• Candles

• A set of dark-stained pine cabinets may fit the rustic log cabin theme much better than a set of white Victorian-era design cabinets.
   
• Wood cabinets may look better in a log home than metal or melamine veneer cabinets.

And the cabinet decisions don't stop there. When remodeling or building a log home kitchen, you also have to decide on if you want stock cabinets, semi-custom, or custom cabinets.

• Stock cabinets usually costs less than anything that includes the word "custom."
   
• Custom cabinets will be worth the expense if you simply don't like anything already on the dealers' or warehouses' shelves
   
• When you go custom, the options are boundless. Don't scrimp on the cabinet designs that will give you more space, but don't forget to stay within budget! 

• Efficiency 
• Reduction of your environmental impact 
• Ease of maintenance
• Inexpensive construction costs
• Minimalist lifestyle
• Residence in the woods or other scenic surroundings
• Housing can be built on a very small plot of land

You see? Building a one-room log home has many potentially wonderful, cost-cutting, personally rewarding, and fun benefits! 

But how do you build a one-room log cabin? It really is quite simple and inexpensive. In fact, you can build your own log cabin with a simple set of plans involving a 10'x12' footprint and a dirt floor. A log cabin like that allows you get to close to nature (and it's perfect for camping, too).

• Why would anyone build a log home right now?
• Best land buying tips for future log home owners
• Real life log home stories

It's a great resource for learning what is hot and new in log home designs and building trends. It's like an inside track on the things that  make log home living so great!

The Log Home Industry Expert is maintained by Jim Young, who is the president of PrecisionCraft Log and Timber Homes, a leading company in the log home industry.

In terms of home fixtures, copper sinks make a fantastic accent to the bathroom, kitchen, or washroom of any type of home -- including log homes.

Copper is perfect for a wet setting because water will not cause copper to corrode or rust (as is the case with certain other metals commonly found in and around wet areas of a home).

Did you know?...

• A copper sink can even reduce the number of germs in your home?
• Copper sinks can even kill MRSA -- the dreaded superbug!

However, like many of the fine things in life that we put into our homes, copper sinks do require a little bit of maintenance so that they continue looking good for years to come.

Perhaps the most important rule in caring for your copper sink is to not destroy the natural patina.-- the color that the copper sink takes on over time. Acid or abrasive washing can easily destroy that beautiful and desirable color. If any damage is done to the patina (resulting in a bright spot), simply let the copper re-tone on its own over time. 

Is there a good reason to not finish the wood of a log home before all the pieces go together?

In general, it is faster, easier, and even less expensive to stain your log home before all the pieces are assembled.

Why? Because staining is far easier when you're working with easy-to-handle pieces on the ground.

Once your log home is finished, that 4x12 accent beam flying from just below your 12-foot ceiling is quite a bit harder to get to (even with a ladder!) than if it was simply a piece of lumber sitting safely on the ground.

Advantages to waiting until after your log home is constructed include:

• You're giving the wood time to dry out and settle.
• You're reducing the chance of  "streaking" that some stains take on when the wood is finished before construction (and before the wood had a chance to eliminate its moisture content).

At any rate, staining or finishing the wood in your new log home will make logs look better, repel stains better, and withhold their color better.

However, by nature of the fact they are constructed almost entirely out of wood, you may be wondering, are log homes fire hazards, too? Are they even more of a fire hazard than a traditional stick frame home?

Believe it or not, log homes are said to be even safer than a more-conventional stick frame home when it comes to withstanding natural disasters like tornadoes and hurricanes... and yes, even fires!

• what you can afford
• where you want to build

Once you decide on those 2 points, you can break out your logs, hammer, nails, doors, and windows, and start pounding away!
 

• Have enough money for a down payment (20% or more)
• Establishing a relationship with a log home-friendly bank
• Have a list of banks willing to lend for log home construction

The draw schedule is that unique timeline that spells out exactly when the logs themselves will be paid for, when the next installment of payments will be doled out by the bank, etc.

For us, it sometimes became difficult getting the bank and the log home company to agree on when the actual money would exchange hands.

At one point, it became apparent that we were going to have to do some fancy footwork at the last minute in order to satisfy all parties involved (the log home company, the bank, and us).

The same is true when sitting in a cozy family room. The light of the sun seems to bring the outside in for a nice warm feeling.

Likewise, the drama of a morning sunbeam shining down into a grand foyer through a skylight placed high up to emphasize the curved stairway ascending to the next level also makes a great impression when guests enter your home.

Just the same, a couple of skylights strategically placed in bathrooms and master bedrooms seems to be all the rage these days -- both for added effect, and natural lighting.

Skylights provide up to 30% more natural light than vertical windows, and they can make a small space seem larger.  Source

Ok, we've established that allowing extra light into your home is an aesthetically pleasing thing. But at what cost? Is there a downside to installing skylights on your roof?

The great thing about feng shui is that it really works! How? It teaches you how to arrange everything in your home in such a way as to have a lovely energy flow that is positive rather than negative. The effects of that are priceless.

I've been using the principles of feng shui for years in my own home, and have seen drastic changes in the feel of my home when I stick to those principles.

Here's how to incorporate feng shui in the rooms of your home...

Travertine is created when minerals have dissolved in the ground water and then get moved by natural springs and rivers above ground. It is taken from quarries in large blocks and then cut down into smaller blocks.

It has been used for thousands of years in Italy and Turkey, and today Travertine used all over the world for flooring, countertops, backsplashes, and other surfaces where tile is preferred.

photo credit: mikeandanna

Travertine Colors & Styles

Travertine comes in a variety of colors from ivory, to beige, to reddish brown, and even gold -- depending on how much iron is present. It also comes in different finishes such as polished, matte, brushed, or tumbled.

Polished Travertine resembles marble, and brushed or tumbled Travertine has a more antiqued look.

Travertine is easier to cut and shape than many other stones, and because of this, it has become a favorite for many people, including home builders.

Following are some of the pro's and con's of using Travertine tile in your home...