#goldengoals

I’ve begrudgingly reached the age where you really start to consider where and how you want to live out your Golden Years. When I think about retirement, it’s no longer some esoteric, far-offnotion; it’s a near-term reality. I confess that there are many days I laughingly ask myself, “How did this happen?” Financial stability aside, the biggest thing on my mind is where I’ll live. Though I love the look and layout of my current home, its location is not my dream lot. My neighbors are too close for comfort. My yard is too small for all the flower and vegetable gardens I want to plant. My community is landlocked, and I desperately wish to have a water view. Not to mention that I can already feel three stories of stairs…

house of a different color

For more design ideas, log on to loghome.com and timberhomeliving.com…

energy independence

What does living off the grid mean to you? Like the word “hybrid,” the phrase has numerous interpretations, resulting in very different ideas about what going off the grid entails. Some folks want to be completely autonomous, providing for all of life’s necessities from supplying their own food to providing a power source. For most, however, the term simply refers to achieving total (or at least partial) energy independence. So, the question is: What do you need to do to unplug from public utilities and still operate your household effectively and comfortably? In seeking to answer this question, many buyers get hung up on researching what “the best” alternative energy source is, and, all too often, they ignore the most important thing: ensuring that the house, itself, is built to be energy efficient. When…

the essential homesteader’s garden

An aesthetically pleasing landscape of flowers and shrubs is a feast for the eyes and soul, but you need nourishment for your belly, too. Why not focus on plants that will sustain you this season as well as months down the line? That’s what a homestead garden is all about. When considering what to plant now that can be preserved for future meals, here are our top tips: Grow what you’ll eat. This seems almost too obvious, and yet it’s a common misstep. Just because cabbage and onions store well, doesn’t mean they’re good choices if the people in your family dislike them. If there are options everyone gobbles up, like green beans, make sure to plant extra, so you’ll have enough to eat fresh during the summer and to can for…

water world

A side from the kitchen, bathrooms are the most complex – and often most expensive — rooms in the house to design and execute. They’re also among the most frequently remodeled. Some designers actually recommend refurbishing a bathroom every five years, but according to homeadvisor.com, the average bathroom reno costs more than $10,000 and upwards of $25k for a master bath, so why not plan to get it right the first time? We offer four design ideas that have been on the rise over the past several years and show no sign of being out-of-date anytime soon, making them wise investments and enjoyable places to spend your time. bathrooms account for 40% of household water consumption TUB FRONT AND CENTER Since the tub is typically the largest feature found in a full bathroom, why…

all together now

If you’re old enough to remember “The Waltons” — the quintessential TV series of the early 1970s — the show’s signature sign-offwas the multi-generation family wishing each other good night. This endearing interaction was made possible by the extremely close quarters the Waltons shared — a design aspect that’s not quite as desirable by modern standards. These days, we love our families, but we also prize our privacy. That’s why, if you’re planning a new log or timber home that will accommodate several generations under one roof, you will want to carefully balance public and private areas within its design. Multi-Gen on the Rise “Multi-generation housing is an old concept that’s making a big comeback,” says Diana Allen, an architect and director of design at Woodhouse: The Timber Frame Company in Mansfield, Pennsylvania.…