How to find a lender to buy and build your dream home. If you haven’t applied for a mortgage loan recently, say in the last 13 years, then you will likely be in for some surprises when building your new log and timber frame home. That’s because the lending space...
The Grand Entry
Giving the entrance to your home the “wow” factor requires creativity and design expertise. Aside from the basic functions of ingress and egress, the look and feel of the entryway and the functionality of the mudroom add ambience and accessibility to the overall flow...
Creating Your Perfect Home
Choosing whether you want a custom log or timber home, a semi-custom home, or a standard package can be difficult. Here are the pros and cons of them all. Log and timber homes exemplify the enduring harmony between nature and architectural craftsmanship. A log or...
Harbor View
A masterly crafted lakefront hybrid home with stunning views and easy lake access is a dream come true for this Wisconsin couple. Along the serene shores of Green Lake in Wisconsin stands the “Harbor View,” an aptly named hybrid home that...
Designing for a Great First Impression
An attractive home exterior will make people want to see the inside of your log or timber home. Whether you’re building a cozy cabin, a modest retreat, or a big family getaway, the exterior of your home makes a memorable impression that gives people a sense of what to...
Home Away from Home
A couple chooses a stock log home plan for their ski vacation home and modifies it to fit their family perfectly. In the winter of 2012-2013 Grant and Lori Colby were skiing at Whitefish Mountain Resort in Montana when, on a whim, they decided to investigate land...
Location, Location, Location
Selecting your building site wisely is key for your budget. The adventure of building a log or timber home begins with an idea. Then comes the challenge of making the dream a reality, and the list of items to be completed is long. Among the first and most critical...
Home Suite Home
Today, more and more homeowners are including hotel-style rooms and suites in their home design and it’s a trend that’s expected to last a long time. If a family member or friend is visiting for a night or forever, there are ways to make space in your home that’s...
Getting that ‘Just Right’ Feel
A home with the right amount of space affords a simpler life with fewer worries and more time to do the things you love. Who says bigger is always better? As baby boomers are retiring, they are finding that they no longer need large homes—but there’s no need to...
Smaller House, Happier Life
A Kentucky couple’s cabin feels like “vacation every day.” As their youngest daughter’s high school graduation approached, Ken and Stephanie knew their 4,500-square-foot home in Boyd County, Kentucky, would be too big for the two of them when she headed off to...
Designing Comfortable & Luxurious Bedrooms
The master bedroom is more than just a place to sleep—it’s your place to retreat from the world. In an ideal world, my master bedroom would be a sanctuary. A retreat from the stressors and demands of everyday life, it would be quiet and cozy with a massive closet to...
Choosing Hope & Faith Over Fear
A Pennsylvania couple create their dream home in the face of adversity. Ask April Henderson-Rhodes what advice she would give other homebuyers on how to create their own dream home, she pauses then says, “Just do it. It is a leap of faith. But whether it’s a dream...