Most log homes, as well as conventional homes in the United States, are built with a gabled roof. While the gable roof is simple, it does have a number of drawbacks like a lack of usable space under the roof. In contrast, the gambrel roof is a unique style of roof that addresses many of the issues with gable roofs.
Two weeks ago, we discussed the important impression that your entryway will create on your guests. While this first room of the house is indeed important for first impressions, your guests will of course first encounter your front door. As such, the front door can help set the mood for the entire house. While a front door is usually chosen to accentuate the features of a log home, sometimes the door instead serves to contrast with the home's design. Here are a few examples of front door choices and their effect on the home.
Like a fireplace on the inside, no log home seems complete without a deck or porch. Since the deck is such a prominent feature on the outside of the home, it can define the home’s appearance. This is especially true on sloped lots. When the lot slopes away from the rear of the home, the deck becomes an even more prominent feature. Here are a few topics to consider in order to get the perfect elevated deck.
While the cold winter weather outside can be taxing, the interior of a log home is always a wonderful place to be. The log walls have warming effect, both from their natural appearance and due to their thermal mass. And what better place to spend a cold winter night than in front of a log home fireplace! Even with these great attributes, there are a few décor choices you can make during winter that will keep your log home feeling bright and warm throughout the winter season. Here are a few of our favorite choices.
When you think of a Craftsman style home, a log home is likely not the first thing that comes to mind. The Craftsman ethos, however, is a perfect fit for log homes. Craftsman style emphasizes clean lines, a solid structure of natural materials, deep eves and low-pitched roofs. All of these features naturally compliment log home construction and design. So, when a California couple was looking for a Craftsman style log home that they could retire in, Real Log Homes Independent Representative Meeker Builders was able to design and build just the right home.
Last week, we discussed what features make up a chalet-style home. While the chalet is certainly a popular style with a rich history, today we will focus on perhaps the most popular style of log home. The farmhouse style does not need a digression on its etymology; as its name implies, it originated from the dwellings located on farms. Given the trees that needed to be cleared from eastern farms, it is no wonder that log homes became a natural choice for the farmhouse.
A year ago, we wrote a post on the features that make up a lodge. Like lodge, chalet is an old word whose meaning has evolved considerably over time. The word comes from the Indo-European root cala, which means shelter. For much of its history, chalet did not mean much more than that, usually indicating a dwelling that a herder lived in while tending to his summertime pastures. Eventually, the chalet became a specific style of home in Switzerland and Savoy.
In contrast with the popular image of a log cabin, modern log homes can utilize contemporary design and be quite large. The nature of the log home is determined by the desires of the homeowner. Nevertheless, many buyers appreciate the classic look of a log home with traditional design elements. This Real Log Home in the Finger Lakes region of New York is an average-sized home that packs a great many features for its size.
Last January, we featured the Littleton floor plan and highlighted its use as a grand ski lodge. While the Littleton is a fine home, at 3773 square feet it may be a bit large for a smaller family. If you are looking for a more average sized log home ski lodge, then the HoliMont plan may be just for you. Even if your log home ambitions don’t include winter sports, this charming 2576 square foot plan has a perfect design for an “aging in place” retirement home. Join us as we explore what makes the HoliMont the perfect log home to spend your winter weekends or live out your retirement.
Real Log Home owners love taking pictures of their homes, as evidenced by our customer submitted photographs section. But while taking photographs of your home can be rewarding, it also presents challenges you don’t find when taking snapshots of people or pets. While modern digital cameras are more forgiving than film cameras of the past, there are still several techniques that will allow you to produce better shots of the interior and exterior of your home. Whether you are looking to take pictures to advertise your home for sale or just share with friends and family, here are some tips to improving your log home photographs.
