Composite doors have the same great look and feel as traditional wood doors. Their construction, however, makes them far more durable. They're also affordable and very low maintenance. Personally, I've always wanted a sleek looking wood front door on our log home -- I've teetered between a Craftsman style door wood door and a beefy looking rustic wood door. But after exploring the pros and cons of composite decks over wooden decks, I have to be honest. I can definitely see the … [Read more...]
Log Home Kits: 7 Things To Think About Before You Build From A Log Home Kit
Many have tried to make their dream of log home ownership come true with the help of log home kits. Such kits contain everything that's required to build a weathertight log home from scratch yourself. A log home builder (or company) constructs log houses at a central yard and then disassembles the house and transports it to the actual construction site. These "kits" are then put back together like a huge Lincoln log set at the owners property and finished on site. Because the kit … [Read more...]
Cleaning Leather Rugs: How To Care For And Clean Cowhide Rugs & Other Animal Skin Rugs
If you have a log home, chances are you have at least one accent piece made of leather or animal hide. And at some point, it will need cleaned (or at least freshened up a bit). Here are some of the ways that leather rugs (cowhide rugs, animal skin rugs, etc.) can be used as a focal piece in your home decor: Cowhide and other leather rugs are often used to warm up cold floors -- like stone, tile, and hardwood. Leather & hide are also used on upholstered furniture to create a … [Read more...]
Top 30 Reasons To Appreciate & Enjoy Log Home Living
One of the questions I'm asked the most is "Why did you choose a log home?" I usually give my standard answer -- something along the lines of: I like being different. I've lived in homes that resembled the majority of other houses out there. Through the years, I've studied the things I like and don't like, as well as the features I need and don't need in a home. These days, I would prefer to live in a one-of-a-kind home in a unique setting. That's my dream home. And whenever you're … [Read more...]
Fireplace Design & Placement Ideas To Help You Answer The Question: Fireplace Or No Fireplace?
Odds are, if you're building a log home then you're probably going to have a fireplace. I guess it would be kind of sacrilegious not to include a fireplace in your log home plans. But, I've got to admit... I seriously considered not putting one in our log home. Why? Because my theory is that fireplaces are very much like swimming pools, hot tubs, treadmills, swing sets, and trampolines -- you never end up using them as much as you thought you would. I'm not alone... quote: Here's … [Read more...]
Old Log Homes: Pros And Cons Of Living In Old Style Log Homes
Dream of living in a log home? (Me too.) If your dream is to live in an old log house, you might want to think twice about it. Certainly, there are lots of good reasons to live in an old log home, but there are also a few reasons not to. It may have stood for 100 years or more and survived the elements season after season, but old log cabins do have their problems. Unfortunately, in many cases, when it comes to purchasing an older log home, the house inevitably has to be taken … [Read more...]
Rug Tips: A Rug Buying Guide To Help You Make The Best Choice
Rugs are a long-term investment for your home and its appearance, so taking the time to pick the best one for you can determine whether you’re still satisfied with your choice as the years go by. To help you in choosing the best rugs that will meet your needs now and in the future, consider these helpful tips to narrow down your selection and determine the quality and style that you need. Rug Patterns … [Read more...]
Honest Abe Log Home Kits: See How Honest Abe Builds Log Homes
If you're thinking of building a log home and you're torn between one or more log home companies, then it may come down to the 'little things' when it comes time to make the decision of who will build your log home. For us, we had narrowed our choices down to Southland Log Homes and Honest Abe Log Homes. (Check out all the comments generated about Southland here.) When we got down to the nitty gritty details that take place behind the scenes when building a log home, all signs pointed to … [Read more...]
Choose A Wood Heating System For Your Home, The Environment Will Thank You
With the ever-increasing price of oil, natural gas and electricity, many homeowners are now considering using wood to heat their homes and workshops. Along with the potential cost savings that an outdoor wood furnace or other type of wood burning stove can provide on home heating bills, using wood as your home heating fuel of choice is great for the environment. Here's why: … [Read more...]
New Home Design & Must-Have “Necessities”… If Money Were No Object
If money were no object, which posh amenities would be on your wish list? These are some of the things that Jim and I have always talked about including in our dream home. They would definitely be on our list: Radiant heat flooring - Jim scoffs at the idea and says, "Who needs it? It's too expensive." (In the winter, he'll thank me for it!) Dog-friendly bath space - I've always longed for a dog tub & shower system for large dogs. Ideally, it would have low steps or a ramp for the … [Read more...]
