Category Archives: Log Home Photos

Log Homes Across the Country (and the World)

There are a lot of ideas that pop up in peoples’ minds when they hear someone mention a log home.  It’s true that many people associate log homes with northern climates in rural areas.  And while we, as a New England based company, do agree that log homes are a perfect fit for our region, we also know that log homes can be built in any part of the country – even the world.  Here are some of our favorite examples on how log homes are a great choice for any region.

California

california log home

This stunning log home has a truly grand exterior.  Details on the home such as the front door, and exterior lighting, exudes a mission style which is a fitting choice for a California log home.

Oklahoma

oklahoma log home

This log home was built on Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees to serve as a gathering place for the whole family.  The sloping site and access to the lake give this log home a real draw.  It was built in a popular development and is right at home next to the other traditional homes (but with much more character).

Wisconsin

wisconsin log home

Home by Independent Representative Starview Log Homes

The log home above was custom designed and features Swedish Cope logs. The large overhangs and logs give this home a very western feel. Greeted by a friendly, custom carved bear pillar this home is friendly and functional.

Alabama

Home by Independent Representative, Lookout Mountain Log Homes

Home by Independent Representative, Lookout Mountain Log Homes

Log homes are just as at home in the South as they are in other regions.  This log home shown above is a great example.  It has many classic log home elements such a stone chimney and lots of windows.

Italy

italian log home

Log homes are at home across the world.  The log home above is a great example of how log homes can be designed to blend well with any region’s architectural norms.

Japan

Japanese log home

Real Log Homes are even at home in Japan.  The traditional building techniques and natural aesthetic are a perfect fit.  You can see how this Japanese log home has been designed with clean lines and showcases simple and restful decor:

Japanese log home interior

We hope you’ve enjoyed this global tour of all the places a REAL™ Log Home is so nice to come home to.  Did we miss your region?  Are you hungry for more photos?  Leave us a comment and let us know.  We’d be happy to showcase your region too.

Building a New Log Home and Choosing the Right Partner

Building a new log home is a serious decision that requires a lot of careful thought and planning.  It requires the right team of designers and skilled craftsman to provide the highest quality log home.  So, when people come to Real Log Homes® looking for the right partner to guide them through the process, we’re eager to share our history and show off some of our favorite log homes through the years – from 1963 to today.

ranch style log home in snow

Real Log Homes® has a full service design department in house ready to serve its clients in any capacity.  The design staff has a combined experience of over 100 years.  That’s a full century of making the most ideal log home floor plans.

Many clients come to us with a well thought out idea or concept in mind, sometimes even drawings they might have made themselves.  Others come to us with one of our many Standard Log Home Plans in mind.  But, many log home customers start from scratch.  We embrace any approach.  We expect every home to reflect the homeowner; we expect the design process to be unique as well.  It’s worked for 50 years to produce stunning homes like the beautiful log home in rural Montana seen below:

Custom Log Home Montana

Another benefit of Real Log Homes® and its design process is that our in-house design team works at the same facility as our manufacturing staff.  This means a seamless process when passing the design plans to the manufacturing team.  This seamless transition means less wasted time and money.  That means our clients have less time between blue prints and home building.

LogHomeConstruction-06

Real Log Homes also has an extensive network of Independent Representatives which means you’ll have local support at every step of the log home building process.  In fact, many of our Independent Representatives are also builders, like Brooks Carswell of Gristmill Country Homes in Southampton, MA shown in the photo above.  To find the Independent Representative closest to you, visit the Find a Rep section of the Real Log Homes site.

If you are interested in building a new log home this year, simply contact Real Log Homes to get started.  With 50 years of experience, we’re positive we’re the right partner for your log home project.

The Moultonboro Log Home Floor Plan

log home in the woods with porchWe often receive requests from people looking for a log home floor plan that’s not too big, but can still accommodate a number of guests for summer vacations and holiday gatherings alike.  The Moultonboro log home floor plan is one of those plans that really works.  In total the plan is 1,975 square feet, not including basement space.  With a spacious first floor master suite and laundry on the first floor, this log home is comfortable for year round living.

log home floor plan - first floor

The first floor has a large living room with cathedral ceilings.  It also has an open kitchen and dining area which help to make this home feel more spacious. A covered porch greets visitors as they arrive at this log home.

log home front porch

Once you pass through the kitchen area you enter the great room, complete with cathedral ceiling and impressive stone fireplace.  The loft space is visible from the great room as the log stairs lead up to it.

log home great room with stone fireplace

The loft space can be used as guest quarters for visitors.  The owners of this log home chose to set the loft space up as a bunk room to house visiting grandchildren.  What a treat for the grandchildren as they get to stay in their own lofty space with the charm and fun of a real life tree house.

log home loft with bunks

log home second floor plan

log home screen porchThe loft space is 275 square feet making it a delightfully cozy space.  Of course, one of the other great elements about this log home floor plan is the wonderful outdoor space.  The home has a large deck which spans the entire rear of the home.  There are also two covered porches at either end of the home.  The owners of this log home chose to screen in the porch outside of the master bedroom to provide a comfortable oasis to enjoy as the sun goes down and bugs come out.  It’s also a charming place to enjoy an early morning breakfast as the birds in the forest beyond sing their morning songs.

If your are interested in learning more about the Moultonboro log home floor plan, please contact Real Log Homes.  Their design team would be happy to answer your questions and can modify floor plans to make them truly custom to your needs.

The Days Are Longer and the Log Homes are Brighter

log home hallway with windows

While it still may be winter, the days are indeed getting longer. We’re starting to plan out our gardens and think of all the outdoor plans we have for when the temperatures finally start to warm up as well. But until that time, we’re spending most of our time inside. So, we wanted to write a post about how to plan your log home to take advantage of as much sunlight as you can. We’ve got three tips for doing just that.

1) Windows That Face the Right Direction

log home great room with wall of windows and leather furniture

We all know that the sun comes up in the east and sets in the west.  And for those of us in the United States, the sun is also at a southerly angle as well (more acutely so in winter).  That means that the north side of a log home will not typically see much sunlight, if any.  So if you have visions of sun streaming through the wall of windows in your great room, like the log home great room above, don’t put your great room on the north side of your home.  Or, if the great room really needs to be on the north side to take in a view, then consider adding skylights to the room to at least provide natural light overhead.  The great room above also has skylights.

2) The right style of windows

log home great room with prow wall of windows

Small vertical windows have their appeal stylistically, but nothing lets the light in like a large wide window.  To get even more sun into your windows, consider building out a bay in a dining room or kitchen to let in more light.  Also, using a prow design will increase the angles at which your windows collect sunlight.  Take the log home great room above for example.  It has a prow design and the room extends out at two angles which meet at a point.  It’s great for taking in more light, and more views.

3) Fewer Interior Walls

log home open floor plan

Let the sunshine go further by reducing the number of interior walls in your home.  With the unique building techniques available from Real Log Homes, you can plan your new log home with large open spaces.  The soaring ceilings and open feel can help even a small amount of natural light really brighten your home.

growing herbs in kitchen windowBonus:

Proper window planning can make for great indoor gardening as well!  So if you’re dreaming of lounging in your log home and enjoying the rays of sunshine, start your log home planning today.  Contact Real Log Homes to get started.

Enjoying Time Spent in the Great Indoors – Log Home Style

Here in New England we recently experienced quite the blizzard.  With this experience we’ve all become newly familiar with the concept of staying in.  When trapped indoors for a while, it can make you think about your home in new ways.  From ‘I have got to get rid of that old wallpaper’, to ‘thank goodness we installed that new furnace last year!’  Being stuck indoors may even have you dreaming of a new home or cabin.  So, to help we’ve compiled a list of the top five ways to pass the winter in a Real Log Home.

1) Bake Some Treats

log home kitchen with rustic bar stools

A kitchen island serves as great prep space to cut out cookies, roll pie dough, or pour fudge.

Nothing says warm and cozy like sweet and savory treats from the oven.  A nice new kitchen with ample counter space to roll cookie dough helps make the experience that much more enjoyable.  Check out one of our favorite winter cookie recipes here.

2)  Watch a movie

log home great room with sectional couch big screen tv and soapstone stove

This log home great room has a soapstone wood stove, comfy furniture and a big screen TV. We can’t think of a better combination to help pass the time on a cold winter’s day spent indoors.

So long as you have power and some movies on hand, this is a great way to spend some time during rough weather.  Of course the experience is all the more enjoyable in a comfy log home with space for everyone to sit and enjoy.

3)  Get Crafty

Quilting room in log home with quilt pattern floor

Quilting is a popular hobby and even without power, can still be enjoyed. As a bonus, your new quilt will help keep you extra cozy during any blizzards.

If you have a passion for crafting, then what better time to do it than during a blizzard.  While many hobbies, such as wood-working require electricity, there are many hobbies which do not.  Quilting and painting can be done without power.  And if you have a gas powered stove, you can even do some homebrewing with or without power.

4)  Go Crazy on Pinterest

Log home stone patio

Start pinning your dream log home exteriors, great rooms and kitchens. Then you can share your ideas with our design team.

One of the most popular new aspects of social media is Pinterest.  For those who use it regularly they can attest at how easy it is to collect ideas together.  And, if you’re planning a new log home for this year, it’s a fantastic place to organize your ideas.  And, if you have a Facebook account, you can use the same login to access and start using Pinterest.

5)  Plan A New Log Home

kentucky log home first floor plan

Of course, one of the best ways to spend some time indoors this winter is brainstorming on plans for your new log home or cabin.  Real Log Homes has a lot of log home floor plans to look through.  But it’s also a great time to get out some paper and sketch some ideas.  A basic way to think about floor planning is picture each space as a bubble, and think about what bubbles make sense to touch one another.  You likely wouldn’t put a bedroom bubble touching the kitchen, but it may touch the living room.

But don’t feel too overwhelmed.  One of the best ways to get started is to call Real Log Homes.  Their design staff would be happy to listen to your ideas, review your Pinterest boards or just answer your questions.  You can contact them directly online, or call them at 1-800- REAL LOG (732-5564).