Finalists for the "Green Log Awards" were recently announced.

The GREEN LOG Home & Lifestyle Awards™ were created in response to the growing demand for green building solutions.

The goal of the awards is to locate and shine a spotlight on those companies and individuals who are enabling healthier homes and lifestyles. -- GREEN LOG Home & Lifestyle Awards

What this means for people like you and me is... a great list of environmentally-friendly log home products and suppliers!

So, if you're trying to make your currently log home more "green" or you'll soon be building your very own green log home, here are some companies that will make your life easier!

Missy M wrote in recently:

I am remodeling bsmnt I have 2 poles that can't b moved I saw on tv, make the poles look like real trees....they never said how or where they bought the materials Can u help, suggestions?

I'll be the first to admit... I have far too many artificial trees and silk flower arrangements inside our current home.

I'm planning to cherry-pick the best ones and only place a few of them in more strategic locations when we move into our new log home. But unfortunately, it seems the only "real" plants I can keep alive (inside the home) are this Oriental Totem Pole and an old aloe plant (great for nicks, cuts & burns!) that now dominates an oversized side table in our living room. Some greenery is better than no greenery, right?

That said, I still love fake arrangements... as long as they truly look real and were created by professionals. (Most of mine were $100-plus, that I got half price or less on sale.)

For example, this one I have in our dining room has the most vibrant colors and the flowers are arranged in such a way that it truly looks natural.

In the 8 or so years that I've had it, people always remark how much they love that flower arrangement. And they appear shocked when I tell them it's not real.

Anyhoo... one of the downsides of this type of decor being so well-made and long-lasting is the fact that they tend to collect dust in all of the nooks and crannies.

But I have a solution...

We are actually toying with a couple of "non-traditional" ideas when it comes to color choices for both the outside and inside of our log home.

I'll talk more about our exterior color choices later...

For now, let's focus on some of the color ideas that we are considering for one or two of our full-log walls inside.

What follows are some of the interior color choices we're thinking about... and why we've kind of had a change of heart after considering resale values.

The photo above gives you an idea of what I currently envision most of the interior walls of our log home will look like: 6x12 flat logs, no chinking, dark stair railing, and darker brown accents throughout.

My newest hobby is finding cool things made of twigs, sticks & logs... to use inside our new log home!

While searching for fun "twiggy" looking things that will bring a touch of rustic to an otherwise modern log home, I found the best selection and most unique items were all coming from a store called Uncommon Goods.

Here's a sampler of some of their most unique items made from twigs...

We have a pine log home and the great room is the kitchen, dining room and living room. The floor is burch hardwood and both the logs and the flooring are a natural stain. I am in the process of purchasing a dining room suite and don't know whether to go with a natural stain or to go with a darker (cocoa) stain. What would you recommend?" -- Karen T.

See my answer below...

Looking for some colors for the walls inside your home?

Now you can experiment with color on your walls, trim, ceilings and accents before even picking up a paintbrush!

Check out these online paint & color tools...

I think it's hard to find a "classy" way to store extra rolls of toilet paper in your bathroom -- especially the guest bathroom or downstairs powder room, where you want to make a good impression to those who visit your home.

Currently, this is my favorite toilet paper holder for the bathroom, and I think it would look great in a log home. Baskets and logs kinda go hand-in-hand, right?

The bonus: You get a built-in tissue holder as well!

What a FUN idea I've found over at Red Oak Hollow blog! (...It's highly creative, too.)

I'm sharing it here for fellow homebuilders who would like to surprise their loved one with a very "special" gift (read: *something for the house*) on a very special day.

See how to package your special gift... in a way that only a devoted homebuilder who loves you dearly could appreciate!

Did you know?...
You should place all light switches on the latch side of a door, not the hinge side.

This makes it easier to access the lights as you walk in or out of a room.

Makes sense, right?

Yeah, well there's a whole lot more to the placement of light switches than just which side of the door they go on!

Here are a bunch more tips, along with some things that could ultimately affect the placement your light switches...