Log and Timber Home Living

See inside this cozy home on pg. 66 Like many kids growing up in the 1970s, my summers were spent running from house to house to play with the neighborhood kids, blissfully free from cell phones and video games. Each kid’s home had a different designated activity. At Danny’s house, we played “Office.” At Paul’s house, it was reenacting “Lost in Space” (don’t judge – it was a very popular show at the time). My place, which actually was my grandparents’ residence, hosted “Olympics,” because it had a huge, flat yard and a low-rise wall we used for everything from a balance beam to a bobsled. At Stacy’s house, the name of the game was “Small Room,” and it was our favorite. Small Room took place on the long, narrow side porch…

For more design ideas, check out loghome.com and timberhomeliving.com…

There are a lot of reasons to build a small home. Some of the most popular ones include saving money, reducing maintenance and improving energy efficiency, just to name a few. But can you really achieve all these goals simply by reducing the amount of square footage you live in? To some degree, the answer is yes; but it’s a little more complicated than simply opting for a smaller footprint. Let’s take a look at a few of the myths and common misconceptions about building a small log or timber home. MYTH #1: You can build a small house anywhere you want. No matter the size, all homes have to meet the codes required by local jurisdictions. This not only includes foundation, plumbing, insulation, electrical and sewage requirements, but also, in some…

In a small-scale home, where kitchen space is limited, preparing gourmet meals can feel out of reach. But that doesn’t need to be the case. Installing an outdoor oven in your back yard can greatly expand your cooking and entertaining capabilities (and result in some of the most delicious pizza, bread and baked goods you’ve ever tasted). Here are three main questions to consider as you plan your own. 1 1 Prefab or site-built? If a traditional Italian brick oven is what you fancy, you’d do well to have a professional mason design and install the unit to ensure it functions properly and looks beautiful. However, if you have even some basic masonry skills, you can construct a cob (or earth) oven, which is a small dome made of clay, sand and straw,…

Perched atop a mountaintop in western North Carolina, Craig Duncan’s cozy cabin is 1,200 square feet of pure charm. Here, he reflects on the very first time the cozy abode caught his eye. Craig: This cabin was my dad’s. He and his wife were thinking about moving to the beach, and they were selling this place before they moved. I had never seen it before. So, I told my dad I was interested in buying it, and I drove up here with a friend. As soon as we pulled around the corner, I had to do a double take to make sure I had the correct address because it was the most charming place you can imagine. My jaw dropped. I looked at my friend and said, “I don’t care, I…

Whatever your reason for building small – budget, downsizing, property requirements or just the downright charm of petite plans — smart design can save you from big expenses and hassles. These expert design tips will help you max out your diminutive dream home. Here’s what to consider: 1 START WITH YOUR MOTIVATION “How will this home be used?” asks Brian Sielaff, the CEO and managing partner of Tamarack Grove Engineering. This is one of the first questions buyers should ask themselves. Whether this new home is a quick weekend getaway for two, a future forever home, a haven for hosting big family gatherings or a rental property for passive income on the side, Brian explains that each of these situations requires a different design strategy. For example: “If this new home will…