February 15, 2024 • 24 mins
In this latest episode of the My Dream Log Cabin Podcast, Lindsay Sutherland engages in a fun conversation with Donna Peak, Editor of Log & Timber Magazine. They shatter the common misconception that log homes are limited to traditional and old-fashioned aesthetics.
Donna introduces the idea of Rustic Chic, introducing listeners to the versatile world of log home styles that extend far beyond buffalo checks, plaid curtains, and log furniture. They shed light on the array of motifs that can elevate the rustic nature of log homes while still satisfying modern tastes and preferences.
The conversation delves into the realm of color trends, pairing rustic log homes with shades set by famed color authority, Panticoe, and exploring how unique and heirloom pieces are slowly replacing the common farmhouse patterns. This episode feeds a goldmine of innovative tips for those looking to infuse personal touches and modern flare into their log homes without compromising the inherent charm.
Further, the hosts provide in-depth coverage of layering techniques, using a variety of wood species and stain shades to prevent a bland and monotonous appearance. By taking a historical glimpse at the drastic transformation of log homes over time, they show how homeowners can add distinct elements through different wood types, stain shades, and innovative furniture styles.
Through this vibrant dialogue, Lindsay and Donna share a host of practical solutions for incorporating smart technology into log homes without disturbing their distinct, rustic ambiance while injecting diversity and creating a calming effect using a mix of colors derived from nature’s variety.
From modern design elements to the seamless integration of smart technology, this episode promises a multi-faceted look at enhancing the living experience within a log home. So tune in for a riveting discussion and take away invaluable insights into the infinite possibilities of transforming your log home!
Connect with Caribou Creek at www.cariboucreek.com
Connect with the Log and Timber Magazine - Subscribe to the magazine HERE
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hey, cabin lovers. Welcome back to another episode of the My Dream Log Cabin Podcast.
I'm so excited to have you here with me. I'm your host, Lindsay Sutherland,
and this podcast is brought to you by Caribou Creek Handcrafted Log Homes.
Hey, everybody. Welcome back to another episode of My Dream Log Cabin Podcast.
I'm your host, Lindsay Sutherland, and I'm excited today to be joined once more
(00:23):
by Donna Peek, who is the editor at Log & Timber Magazine. Donna,
thank you so much for joining us today.
Thanks, Lindy. I'm happy to be here again. It's always a good time.
It is. And it's like last time you were on, I mentioned you would be coming back quarterly.
We have a new episode getting ready to hit newsstands. So tell us what's coming
out. What are the new and exciting things people can look for in the next magazine?
(00:44):
Yeah, we are actually just yesterday, we shipped our March issue,
which will be coming out. If you're a subscriber, you'll be getting it around
Valentine's Day. So happy Valentine's Day.
And if you're just looking for it on newsstands, you can look for it at the
end of the month. But this issue in particular is always one of my favorites.
I mean, it's hard to pick a favorite. It's like picking your favorite child,
(01:06):
you know, because every one you do, you're so proud of when it's all said and done.
But there are a couple themes that we do every year that our readers love,
and we love giving them this information.
And March happens to be one of them. So the theme is Rustic Sheep.
And it's basically our way of of looking at and almost dispelling the idea that
(01:27):
log homes are a style or there have to be pigeonholed into they can only look one way.
So if you think about a log cabin, you think, well, I can only have log furniture
and I can only have plaid curtains and I can only have buffalo checks everywhere.
And, you know, there's a certain aesthetic that is right for a log home and
(01:48):
you you can't deviate from that.
And so this issue, really, we take a good long look at why, although all those
things look great in log homes, and if that's your style, that's totally great,
but you don't have to feel like that's the only style that you can use.
And we really see in evidence, you know, when we get feedback from readers and
(02:09):
when people send in their homes
to us to be featured, just how diverse the styles of all these homes are.
And Rustic Sheet capitalizes on that. So we are able to look at.
How different motifs can sort of elevate the log home ideal.
You have that natural backdrop and you can do so many different things with it.
(02:32):
So you can add iron, you can add a lot of like maybe Austin stone,
which is a little bit more of an elevated look than like a normal field stone or even river rock.
You can add Victorian elements to it.
You can add mid-century modern elements to it. I mean, really,
I mean, I always like to say that, you know, a lager timber frame home is kind
(02:53):
of like a little black dress.
You've got that foundation and it's going to stay in style forever.
And then how you accessorize that based on your own personal taste,
no matter what you do, as long as it's what you're comfortable with and what
you enjoy, it's going to work.
And so this issue really kind of showcases that we have rustic,
elegant bedroom that we're going to feature, and we're going to break down the
(03:16):
elements of how that makes that particular space work.
We've got a house that's a little bit more on the modern side in that issue.
So we're trying to show how a little bit of, I guess you could call it maybe
Scandinavian. It's not quite going that austere, but sort of more in that minimalist
kind of direction. So, yeah, I mean, this is really fun. It's really fun to see what people do.
(03:38):
What a fun follow up to the last few episodes we featured here on the podcast
talking about how to customize a floor plan, talking about 2024 general interior
design trends and just how well they fit with log homes.
But what a great way to piggyback that and then grab your copy of the magazine
so that you can see it in action and really get your creative juices flowing.
(04:00):
Like, that's what I love about that. Yeah.
Yeah. It's really inspirational to see how diverse these homes can really be
and how the mindset of, you know, a log home can only be one thing.
Timber homes have enjoyed a little bit more diversity, I think,
than log homes as far as interior finishes, because there is so much traditionally
(04:21):
so much more drywall space and you can infuse more color in the walls than you
normally can in a full log home.
But people are finding ways to take that and apply it to full logs and add that
color and that richness and that depth that, you know, it just gets better and better over time.
(04:41):
You know, we've just seen so many really unique and interesting things.
So that's why, you know, this issue a little bit gets me energized.
Well, and it's cool that you mentioned that because I was doing some Pinterest
searching, which I know many of our listeners do as well, recently.
And I just, I don't know, personally, I've just had this interest in like an
emerald green color. It looks really good with logs, you know?
(05:04):
Yeah. And I'm thinking, like, how can I incorporate this?
And one of the things that stood out to me on Pinterest was curtains,
like voluptuous, velvety looking, cozy curtains and how that can add so much
contrast to the room, the colors, the vibrancy.
So you don't necessarily have to worry about painting, which is nice,
(05:24):
because then when the trends change, you just change your curtain.
Like that's so much simpler.
Yeah, and it's a whole lot easier than, you know, painting, you know,
your walls or your cabinetry or whatever.
Just infuse it with color. But yeah, I mean, olive green is a really hot color.
I mean, trees have green leaves, like most of them. So, you know,
it's like, how can you go wrong with green?
(05:46):
But, you know, I'm seeing recently a lot more depth of green where it's really
those super saturated colors.
And in fact, in our best, I'm sorry, our favorites home issue that we just did
in the beginning, the very beginning of the year, we like to explore a lot of
the trends that are out there just in design in general and what people are leaning to.
(06:08):
And so one thing we always look for is what is going to be the color of the
year, which is usually set by the company Pantone.
Paint companies will kind of piggyback off of that, but usually Pantone,
which is considered the color expert in the color field, they'll kind of set their color of the year.
And this year, I think it's called Fizzy Peach or something like that.
It's definitely this kind of translucent peach color where when I first looked
(06:34):
at it, I was like, hmm, I don't really know how that applies.
And then the more I looked at it and the more I thought about it,
it's a perfect complement to Logs because it does have this soft but yet.
Richness of color in it that you
know I mean logs kind of mostly skew and
(06:54):
I mean unless you really go at deep deep deep brown or
you whitewash them or something most log stains kind of
skew a little bit in the orange family so this kind of just really draws on
that and enhances that color but then lightens it up too and just makes the
space feel really fresh so the more I looked at the color the more I was like
oh yeah this actually really unlike last year last year's color was fuchsia.
(07:18):
So that was a little bit of a stretch, I think, as far as most people putting that in a log house.
But this one definitely is a lot more applicable. And I think you'll see a lot
of textiles and draperies and stuff like that that are going to be in this color throughout 24.
Interesting. I always wondered who came up with the color of the year.
So thanks for finally answering that for me.
(07:40):
It is Pantone. own.
I don't really know what they do the rest of the year, but you know, every year it's like.
Everybody's all waiting. It's like Groundhog Day except we're waiting for the
pink one day when they're telling us the color.
What is it going to be? That's hilarious. Oh my goodness.
(08:00):
Okay. So as far, you know, we're seeing in trends, we've talked a little bit
about colors and we've talked about textures.
Earlier, you were also talking about furniture. I mean, before we jumped on this Zoom.
We're talking about texture of furniture and different styles and the way that's
going, kind of moving away from the farmhouse design.
That's kind of like totally out now, which ironically, that is literally how
(08:24):
I opened up the last couple of episodes because that's what I was saying.
Like, I loved the farmhouse design.
I was moving. I'm trying to capture, like, how am I going to incorporate it? And I never could.
It was like a little piece that's here and there, but it was never just like full-on farmhouse.
I definitely ended up feeling pigeonhole like you were saying.
(08:44):
A lot of people feel that pigeonhole of it's a log cabin.
I have to stick with this traditional like red checkered moose and bear, like that kind of thing.
And I'm like, how do I get away from that and make my house feel more modern
without, but keep that cabin vibe.
And so I really liked what you had to say, if you could elaborate on that.
(09:05):
Yeah. I mean, and honestly, we still see a lot of that traditional cabin vibe.
People are, I mean, they love nature and usually they love wildlife and a lot
of people will still want to bring that into their homes.
And that's awesome if that's your thing. But I think, and keep in mind is that
if it's not your thing and you, but you like log homes, but you feel like you
(09:26):
don't want to live in that sort of cabin in the woods kind of environment,
you don't have to. And.
You know, we're seeing Victorian furniture, mid-century modern elements,
even in the structure of the homes.
I've seen a lot of really interesting modern log homes lately with a very mid-century
kind of design to them with what they call the butterfly roof,
(09:48):
you know, which inverts like this instead of going like this.
So they're not only putting it into the decor of their homes,
but actually into the architectural details and design as well.
So that's kind of interesting. The thing that I always like to stress in the
magazine, and I definitely do it a couple of times a year, usually in my editor's
notes, is that logs and timber frames are a medium. They are a building material.
(10:11):
They lend themselves to word, some very specific styles to them,
but they themselves are really not a style.
So don't feel just because you want the natural log home feeling,
which so many people You know, the more technology driven we go and the more
(10:32):
they tell us, I mean, even when like AI is scaring everybody to death,
right? Because it's like, oh my God, the robots are taking over.
So the more we go that direction, the more we crave a sense of nature and feeling
like, you know, you've got that
grounded sort of sense. So, and people are putting it into their homes.
You know, I mean, that's where you spend, especially a lot of us,
(10:54):
you know, that work from home, like at least part time, if not full time,
you know, you're here all the time.
So you want to surround yourself with an environment that is going to be nurturing,
it's going to make you happy.
You're not going to be stressed out because you feel like everything is sort
of at odds or you don't like what you're looking at 24 hours a day or all your waking hours of the day.
And that's really something that a lot of timber framing homes provide is that
(11:19):
built-in sense of nature.
And then what you do with it is entirely up to you.
You know, you can make it bohemian. I mean, I've seen homes that are sort of
have that California boho kind of feel to them.
That is just as at home and along home as, you know, just going with the buffalo checks and the bears.
It's really more versatile than people give it credit for.
(11:41):
I love that. That is so true. And then what about as far as the furniture goes?
Because that was something we talked about a little bit was art was becoming
a really big... In 2024, these were the trends, right?
Art is becoming a lot more popular and not so much the cookie cutter art that
was really popular with the farmhouse stuff, but more unique pieces,
custom pieces, almost more of a Renaissance style looking.
(12:05):
Just heirloom pieces even are really becoming a thing. which I love personally.
I just love that. But when that trend is also applied to furniture,
you mentioned like, you know, we see a lot of the log furniture and maybe that isn't necessarily,
that's an area where people kind of get, this is one thing I will say,
(12:25):
like I've heard this from people and then I had the same experience.
I moved into my log home. I was really excited about it. and then I'm picturing
the log furniture, the log home, all the things.
And then I'm like, wow, this is just too much of the same color.
Everything's wood. I love the wood, but it's a little overkill.
(12:47):
So I loved what you were talking about with the layering and the depths and
the different textures of wood. So if you can elaborate on that from a furniture perspective.
One of the biggest things that I've seen, I've been doing this for 24 years now,
I've been around the log home industry industry and it's
the one place where I've felt good like the entire time
you know it's like it really kind of sucked me and never really thought 24 years
(13:09):
ago that this would be where my career was taking me
but I fell in love with them like so many people do but the
one thing that I can tell you from when I was in this business in the early
2000s versus now and it's a welcome change is that people are using different
wood species and different stain shades where 20 years ago If I looked at a picture of a house,
(13:32):
everything was pine and it was all stained the same color from the floors to
the walls to the cabinets to the furniture.
It's like it was so monochromatic and beautiful.
Every nothing stood out you know everything was so
much the same color that it all just kind of blurred together
into one great big honey toned mess
(13:55):
you know just it was too too much of a good thing
can actually be too much so now you know people are using let's say they want
to use the honey tone on their logs which so a lot of people do although it's
kind of toned down a little bit Like we see a lot of more softer browns and
less of that golden kind of color that we used to see, you know, 20 years ago.
(14:17):
But let's say, you know, the logs are honey, but the floors are natural.
So they're sort of have this blonde look with maybe just a clear coat on them.
So you definitely see where the wall stops and the floor starts.
And then maybe the cabinets might be painted. You know, maybe they're painted
like a rich green or, you know, something.
I've seen a lot of black. You know, black looks amazing. because it really pops
(14:41):
off those walls, even more so than white.
Although we see a lot of white, too, but the black is really rich against the log tones.
And then, you know, maybe the furniture is velvet.
You know, their living room furniture might be a velvet. And they've got,
like, permed rug on the floor, you know, and there's all kinds of color in that.
So, where before, you almost didn't notice the logs, where it was just sort
(15:08):
of like they were all there.
They're now, it's like every element stands out on its own, but complements
every other element that's in it.
And, you know, I think people have shied away from mixing stains because they
think it's like you're not supposed to mix, you know, strikes and plaids or something.
You know, they think it's just at odds with each other. But if you look at a
forest, you know, the trees, you've got pine trees, oak trees,
(15:31):
maple trees, you know, all these different wood tones that make the forest so beautiful.
Well, now they're bringing that to their houses as well.
So you have all of birchwood, you know, all of those colors infused into your
home and it just, it feels more natural and it feels more.
Calming as opposed to the tension that's created when everything is all the same all the time.
(15:54):
Yes, amen to that. I cannot wait to see these pictures.
I'm really excited about this episode or the edition of the magazine because
finding some inspiration.
One of the houses in this issue is traditional. It has a great big log post
in the center. In fact, we featured it on our back page. beach.
It's a great big log post with a carved bear with a little honey sort of thing
(16:18):
in there. So these people love bears.
I think they said in the article they had like 386 bears in their house and
they're in sort of like, I called it in the story, it's like a little Where's Waldo of bears.
It's like you look at the pictures and you're trying to figure out where all
the bears are, but they loved them.
But they did a lot of things where that is such a very traditional professional log home thing to do.
(16:39):
The way that they sort of juxtapose that with some more modern design elements
in it doesn't make it look out of date.
You know, it kind of is like a kitschy little fun thing. It's like,
oh, look how cute that is.
But then you have all of these other more modern elements that are in the house
to kind of ground that and bring it to the 21st century.
(17:00):
You know what I'm really hearing? Like all of this that you're saying,
bringing in the tones from nature.
Really, it's about the experience of your home more than just the looks and the aesthetics.
And I think, I mean, I'm remembering back when we had our formal living rooms,
you know, and people still do that.
But when I was a kid, we had a formal dining room, we had a formal living room.
Then we had a formal living room. When you weren't allowed to go into.
(17:20):
That's right. We were not allowed. We were cringeworthy only, you know.
But, you know, I think people are really looking for more of an experience with
their home rather than like a piece of.
To just look at aesthetically. It's got to be both. It's got to be user-friendly
and they want it to be integrative.
They want to feel like they can be cozy in it. It's about the experience.
(17:41):
And I just love that. And I love how log homes just fit to that so easily.
It's just so natural to have that. That's just so great.
And that kind of leads me to think about another thing that we're doing in this issue.
We actually did it in two ways. It was sort of serendipity that
worked worked out this way because I was thinking
about home technology and you know there's a
(18:01):
lot of ways now to incorporate home
tech into a log home where it's not as intrusive I think as it used to be you
know it it feels a little bit more organic to the log home experience as opposed
to just being like tech and nature sort of like siding with each other.
(18:23):
So we did a piece, actually, Catherine Owen, who's my managing editor,
did a piece on smart home tech that's easy to use because that's one thing.
I mean, I will be the first one to admit that I'm a little skeptical when it
comes to overdoing the technology in your house.
I don't have an Alexa or anything like that. I don't really want that in my
home, but it's used, my dad does.
(18:44):
My dad has some mobility issues And so it's wonderful for him because he can
say, hey, Alexa, turn the lights on. And Alexa does.
So, you know, it absolutely has a lot of practical applications,
especially as we age in place in our homes.
It allows a lot of people to stay in their houses longer than they might have
been able to if they hadn't had access to these things.
(19:06):
But yeah, they can feel kind of intrusive. They can feel kind of like they don't
really belong, especially in a log home environment.
So Catherine did a great job of finding some really useful products that integrate
well into the log environment.
And then the serendipity part was every issue we feature what we call the reader
spotlight, where all of our homes are obviously owned by readers and real people.
(19:29):
But we tell those stories where every issue we like to have one reader tell
the story from their point of view.
And so they kind of write the story and we publish it like in their own words.
And that's what Reader Spotlight is. So it just turned out that the Reader Spotlight
that we had selected for this particular issue, when we started to peel back
(19:50):
the layers, was full of home technology. I mean, all kinds of stuff.
So that was sort of really interesting because we hadn't really planned it that way.
But I love being able to see those kinds of products that we talked about in
our product feature actually put into practice in this home that we're able
to show readers side by side.
And you would never be able to tell that there's anything super techie about
(20:14):
this house, but it's techie to the nines.
That's neat. Oh man, you're just so good at making me want that even more.
My son, my 15-year-old son is,
a tech way. Like he's in the robotics team. Like he's very, he's very,
well, it's kind of cool because I have four kids.
(20:38):
So my, my, my youngest boy, so my youngest is my daughter, but my youngest boy is so old fashioned.
Like he loves the log home. He loves the woods. He's just so right in his element
in this house that we have.
And my daughter, she walks around the house. Like I love this house.
Like she's just that randomly. I just love it.
It's just my oldest. He's so techie and he always has been.
(21:01):
He would love if we could incorporate like he actually this is a funny little
random side story, but he's the one that introduced us to Alexa.
We were like you, Donna. We were like, no, Alexa.
And I told him he's not getting one. I'm not buying one. We're not going to have one.
You know what? That kid called the Disney radio station and won.
He was like the one millionth caller like the crazy thing yes and i'm like okay
(21:26):
well i guess god got that one figured out and i'm out on this deal like.
Now we have an alexa but you know it's just it's like the one modern tag thing,
but all i have to say is he would just really like
if i let him deck out our home and modern and smart home
(21:49):
features boy would he have a field day that would be just right there's
some fun ones out there and there's some that make a lot of sense and there's
some that like why in the world would you ever need to use that yeah oh goodness
you're a little crazy that yeah the ones some practical practical points to
them that's for sure definitely not there yet,
(22:12):
Well, tell us where, again, tell us where people can go to subscribe.
We'll make sure to link it in the show notes as well, but just for those that are listening.
You can go to loghome.com and right up in the upper left-hand corner,
you'll see little pictures of the covers of the magazine and you can go there to subscribe.
We're in all Barnes and Noble bookstores. We're in Books A Million.
(22:33):
We're in select grocery stores and Home Depots and Costco's.
We're not in every single one of those.
So we're kind of in areas where log homes are really popular and there's other
areas where it doesn't make sense for us to be there.
But pretty much if you go to a Barnes & Noble Books a Million,
you can find it on the newsstand. The easiest way is to just get it in your mailbox and subscribe.
It's cheaper. You can get an entire year's worth of magazines for the cost of
(22:56):
about slightly more than one than you would pay on the newsstand.
So it's really the best deal if you love log homes and you love looking at pictures
of log homes and hearing other people's success stories and also the problems.
I mean, every Every home build comes up, you know, there's always problems on
a job site. It doesn't matter what you're building.
Every issue we have are from the field column, which is written by Dan Mitchell,
(23:18):
who is a builder in Tennessee, but is familiar with issues nationwide.
You know, he's kind of a, although he doesn't build nationwide,
he's very involved at the national level as far as building goes.
So he tackles some of the issues that he sees on job sites and tells people
how to overcome them or how to deal with them.
If it's something you can't really overcome, but you just kind of have to manage
(23:39):
the process, which is ironically what his column is about in this March issue
is about the purpose of the process.
Just kind of making sure that people understand that kind of thing when they're
going into designing and building a home.
So, yeah, so all that stuff is it could come right to your house and you don't
have to go search for it and get it for cheaper.
Fantastic. Okay, wonderful.
(24:01):
Thank you. All right. Well, until next quarter, when the next season launches,
you guys go check out the magazine, subscribe, make it easy on yourself. You know, you want to.
I'm like, my decorating is ready to go.
It's handy. It is so good. Yes. Because I'm doing twofold. Like,
(24:24):
I think, how can I apply it to my house now?
And then I have my Caribou Creek home that I've visualized.
I've written out my floor plan. I have it's like my 10 year my next 10 year
plan so I have that one to decorate too you know,
we're gathering those ideas that's right excellent thank you so much all right
thanks so much Lizzie all right talk to you next time.
Hey, cabin lovers. Welcome back to another episode of the My Dream Log Cabin Podcast.
I'm so excited to have you here with me. I'm your host, Lindsay Sutherland,
and this podcast is brought to you by Caribou Creek Handcrafted Log Homes.
Hey, everybody. Welcome back to another episode of My Dream Log Cabin Podcast.
I'm your host, Lindsay Sutherland, and I'm excited today to be joined once more
(00:23):
by Donna Peek, who is the editor at Log & Timber Magazine. Donna,
thank you so much for joining us today.
Thanks, Lindy. I'm happy to be here again. It's always a good time.
It is. And it's like last time you were on, I mentioned you would be coming back quarterly.
We have a new episode getting ready to hit newsstands. So tell us what's coming
out. What are the new and exciting things people can look for in the next magazine?
(00:44):
Yeah, we are actually just yesterday, we shipped our March issue,
which will be coming out. If you're a subscriber, you'll be getting it around
Valentine's Day. So happy Valentine's Day.
And if you're just looking for it on newsstands, you can look for it at the
end of the month. But this issue in particular is always one of my favorites.
I mean, it's hard to pick a favorite. It's like picking your favorite child,
(01:06):
you know, because every one you do, you're so proud of when it's all said and done.
But there are a couple themes that we do every year that our readers love,
and we love giving them this information.
And March happens to be one of them. So the theme is Rustic Sheep.
And it's basically our way of of looking at and almost dispelling the idea that
(01:27):
log homes are a style or there have to be pigeonholed into they can only look one way.
So if you think about a log cabin, you think, well, I can only have log furniture
and I can only have plaid curtains and I can only have buffalo checks everywhere.
And, you know, there's a certain aesthetic that is right for a log home and
(01:48):
you you can't deviate from that.
And so this issue, really, we take a good long look at why, although all those
things look great in log homes, and if that's your style, that's totally great,
but you don't have to feel like that's the only style that you can use.
And we really see in evidence, you know, when we get feedback from readers and
(02:09):
when people send in their homes
to us to be featured, just how diverse the styles of all these homes are.
And Rustic Sheet capitalizes on that. So we are able to look at.
How different motifs can sort of elevate the log home ideal.
You have that natural backdrop and you can do so many different things with it.
(02:32):
So you can add iron, you can add a lot of like maybe Austin stone,
which is a little bit more of an elevated look than like a normal field stone or even river rock.
You can add Victorian elements to it.
You can add mid-century modern elements to it. I mean, really,
I mean, I always like to say that, you know, a lager timber frame home is kind
(02:53):
of like a little black dress.
You've got that foundation and it's going to stay in style forever.
And then how you accessorize that based on your own personal taste,
no matter what you do, as long as it's what you're comfortable with and what
you enjoy, it's going to work.
And so this issue really kind of showcases that we have rustic,
elegant bedroom that we're going to feature, and we're going to break down the
(03:16):
elements of how that makes that particular space work.
We've got a house that's a little bit more on the modern side in that issue.
So we're trying to show how a little bit of, I guess you could call it maybe
Scandinavian. It's not quite going that austere, but sort of more in that minimalist
kind of direction. So, yeah, I mean, this is really fun. It's really fun to see what people do.
(03:38):
What a fun follow up to the last few episodes we featured here on the podcast
talking about how to customize a floor plan, talking about 2024 general interior
design trends and just how well they fit with log homes.
But what a great way to piggyback that and then grab your copy of the magazine
so that you can see it in action and really get your creative juices flowing.
(04:00):
Like, that's what I love about that. Yeah.
Yeah. It's really inspirational to see how diverse these homes can really be
and how the mindset of, you know, a log home can only be one thing.
Timber homes have enjoyed a little bit more diversity, I think,
than log homes as far as interior finishes, because there is so much traditionally
(04:21):
so much more drywall space and you can infuse more color in the walls than you
normally can in a full log home.
But people are finding ways to take that and apply it to full logs and add that
color and that richness and that depth that, you know, it just gets better and better over time.
(04:41):
You know, we've just seen so many really unique and interesting things.
So that's why, you know, this issue a little bit gets me energized.
Well, and it's cool that you mentioned that because I was doing some Pinterest
searching, which I know many of our listeners do as well, recently.
And I just, I don't know, personally, I've just had this interest in like an
emerald green color. It looks really good with logs, you know?
(05:04):
Yeah. And I'm thinking, like, how can I incorporate this?
And one of the things that stood out to me on Pinterest was curtains,
like voluptuous, velvety looking, cozy curtains and how that can add so much
contrast to the room, the colors, the vibrancy.
So you don't necessarily have to worry about painting, which is nice,
(05:24):
because then when the trends change, you just change your curtain.
Like that's so much simpler.
Yeah, and it's a whole lot easier than, you know, painting, you know,
your walls or your cabinetry or whatever.
Just infuse it with color. But yeah, I mean, olive green is a really hot color.
I mean, trees have green leaves, like most of them. So, you know,
it's like, how can you go wrong with green?
(05:46):
But, you know, I'm seeing recently a lot more depth of green where it's really
those super saturated colors.
And in fact, in our best, I'm sorry, our favorites home issue that we just did
in the beginning, the very beginning of the year, we like to explore a lot of
the trends that are out there just in design in general and what people are leaning to.
(06:08):
And so one thing we always look for is what is going to be the color of the
year, which is usually set by the company Pantone.
Paint companies will kind of piggyback off of that, but usually Pantone,
which is considered the color expert in the color field, they'll kind of set their color of the year.
And this year, I think it's called Fizzy Peach or something like that.
It's definitely this kind of translucent peach color where when I first looked
(06:34):
at it, I was like, hmm, I don't really know how that applies.
And then the more I looked at it and the more I thought about it,
it's a perfect complement to Logs because it does have this soft but yet.
Richness of color in it that you
know I mean logs kind of mostly skew and
(06:54):
I mean unless you really go at deep deep deep brown or
you whitewash them or something most log stains kind of
skew a little bit in the orange family so this kind of just really draws on
that and enhances that color but then lightens it up too and just makes the
space feel really fresh so the more I looked at the color the more I was like
oh yeah this actually really unlike last year last year's color was fuchsia.
(07:18):
So that was a little bit of a stretch, I think, as far as most people putting that in a log house.
But this one definitely is a lot more applicable. And I think you'll see a lot
of textiles and draperies and stuff like that that are going to be in this color throughout 24.
Interesting. I always wondered who came up with the color of the year.
So thanks for finally answering that for me.
(07:40):
It is Pantone. own.
I don't really know what they do the rest of the year, but you know, every year it's like.
Everybody's all waiting. It's like Groundhog Day except we're waiting for the
pink one day when they're telling us the color.
What is it going to be? That's hilarious. Oh my goodness.
(08:00):
Okay. So as far, you know, we're seeing in trends, we've talked a little bit
about colors and we've talked about textures.
Earlier, you were also talking about furniture. I mean, before we jumped on this Zoom.
We're talking about texture of furniture and different styles and the way that's
going, kind of moving away from the farmhouse design.
That's kind of like totally out now, which ironically, that is literally how
(08:24):
I opened up the last couple of episodes because that's what I was saying.
Like, I loved the farmhouse design.
I was moving. I'm trying to capture, like, how am I going to incorporate it? And I never could.
It was like a little piece that's here and there, but it was never just like full-on farmhouse.
I definitely ended up feeling pigeonhole like you were saying.
(08:44):
A lot of people feel that pigeonhole of it's a log cabin.
I have to stick with this traditional like red checkered moose and bear, like that kind of thing.
And I'm like, how do I get away from that and make my house feel more modern
without, but keep that cabin vibe.
And so I really liked what you had to say, if you could elaborate on that.
(09:05):
Yeah. I mean, and honestly, we still see a lot of that traditional cabin vibe.
People are, I mean, they love nature and usually they love wildlife and a lot
of people will still want to bring that into their homes.
And that's awesome if that's your thing. But I think, and keep in mind is that
if it's not your thing and you, but you like log homes, but you feel like you
(09:26):
don't want to live in that sort of cabin in the woods kind of environment,
you don't have to. And.
You know, we're seeing Victorian furniture, mid-century modern elements,
even in the structure of the homes.
I've seen a lot of really interesting modern log homes lately with a very mid-century
kind of design to them with what they call the butterfly roof,
(09:48):
you know, which inverts like this instead of going like this.
So they're not only putting it into the decor of their homes,
but actually into the architectural details and design as well.
So that's kind of interesting. The thing that I always like to stress in the
magazine, and I definitely do it a couple of times a year, usually in my editor's
notes, is that logs and timber frames are a medium. They are a building material.
(10:11):
They lend themselves to word, some very specific styles to them,
but they themselves are really not a style.
So don't feel just because you want the natural log home feeling,
which so many people You know, the more technology driven we go and the more
(10:32):
they tell us, I mean, even when like AI is scaring everybody to death,
right? Because it's like, oh my God, the robots are taking over.
So the more we go that direction, the more we crave a sense of nature and feeling
like, you know, you've got that
grounded sort of sense. So, and people are putting it into their homes.
You know, I mean, that's where you spend, especially a lot of us,
(10:54):
you know, that work from home, like at least part time, if not full time,
you know, you're here all the time.
So you want to surround yourself with an environment that is going to be nurturing,
it's going to make you happy.
You're not going to be stressed out because you feel like everything is sort
of at odds or you don't like what you're looking at 24 hours a day or all your waking hours of the day.
And that's really something that a lot of timber framing homes provide is that
(11:19):
built-in sense of nature.
And then what you do with it is entirely up to you.
You know, you can make it bohemian. I mean, I've seen homes that are sort of
have that California boho kind of feel to them.
That is just as at home and along home as, you know, just going with the buffalo checks and the bears.
It's really more versatile than people give it credit for.
(11:41):
I love that. That is so true. And then what about as far as the furniture goes?
Because that was something we talked about a little bit was art was becoming
a really big... In 2024, these were the trends, right?
Art is becoming a lot more popular and not so much the cookie cutter art that
was really popular with the farmhouse stuff, but more unique pieces,
custom pieces, almost more of a Renaissance style looking.
(12:05):
Just heirloom pieces even are really becoming a thing. which I love personally.
I just love that. But when that trend is also applied to furniture,
you mentioned like, you know, we see a lot of the log furniture and maybe that isn't necessarily,
that's an area where people kind of get, this is one thing I will say,
(12:25):
like I've heard this from people and then I had the same experience.
I moved into my log home. I was really excited about it. and then I'm picturing
the log furniture, the log home, all the things.
And then I'm like, wow, this is just too much of the same color.
Everything's wood. I love the wood, but it's a little overkill.
(12:47):
So I loved what you were talking about with the layering and the depths and
the different textures of wood. So if you can elaborate on that from a furniture perspective.
One of the biggest things that I've seen, I've been doing this for 24 years now,
I've been around the log home industry industry and it's
the one place where I've felt good like the entire time
you know it's like it really kind of sucked me and never really thought 24 years
(13:09):
ago that this would be where my career was taking me
but I fell in love with them like so many people do but the
one thing that I can tell you from when I was in this business in the early
2000s versus now and it's a welcome change is that people are using different
wood species and different stain shades where 20 years ago If I looked at a picture of a house,
(13:32):
everything was pine and it was all stained the same color from the floors to
the walls to the cabinets to the furniture.
It's like it was so monochromatic and beautiful.
Every nothing stood out you know everything was so
much the same color that it all just kind of blurred together
into one great big honey toned mess
(13:55):
you know just it was too too much of a good thing
can actually be too much so now you know people are using let's say they want
to use the honey tone on their logs which so a lot of people do although it's
kind of toned down a little bit Like we see a lot of more softer browns and
less of that golden kind of color that we used to see, you know, 20 years ago.
(14:17):
But let's say, you know, the logs are honey, but the floors are natural.
So they're sort of have this blonde look with maybe just a clear coat on them.
So you definitely see where the wall stops and the floor starts.
And then maybe the cabinets might be painted. You know, maybe they're painted
like a rich green or, you know, something.
I've seen a lot of black. You know, black looks amazing. because it really pops
(14:41):
off those walls, even more so than white.
Although we see a lot of white, too, but the black is really rich against the log tones.
And then, you know, maybe the furniture is velvet.
You know, their living room furniture might be a velvet. And they've got,
like, permed rug on the floor, you know, and there's all kinds of color in that.
So, where before, you almost didn't notice the logs, where it was just sort
(15:08):
of like they were all there.
They're now, it's like every element stands out on its own, but complements
every other element that's in it.
And, you know, I think people have shied away from mixing stains because they
think it's like you're not supposed to mix, you know, strikes and plaids or something.
You know, they think it's just at odds with each other. But if you look at a
forest, you know, the trees, you've got pine trees, oak trees,
(15:31):
maple trees, you know, all these different wood tones that make the forest so beautiful.
Well, now they're bringing that to their houses as well.
So you have all of birchwood, you know, all of those colors infused into your
home and it just, it feels more natural and it feels more.
Calming as opposed to the tension that's created when everything is all the same all the time.
(15:54):
Yes, amen to that. I cannot wait to see these pictures.
I'm really excited about this episode or the edition of the magazine because
finding some inspiration.
One of the houses in this issue is traditional. It has a great big log post
in the center. In fact, we featured it on our back page. beach.
It's a great big log post with a carved bear with a little honey sort of thing
(16:18):
in there. So these people love bears.
I think they said in the article they had like 386 bears in their house and
they're in sort of like, I called it in the story, it's like a little Where's Waldo of bears.
It's like you look at the pictures and you're trying to figure out where all
the bears are, but they loved them.
But they did a lot of things where that is such a very traditional professional log home thing to do.
(16:39):
The way that they sort of juxtapose that with some more modern design elements
in it doesn't make it look out of date.
You know, it kind of is like a kitschy little fun thing. It's like,
oh, look how cute that is.
But then you have all of these other more modern elements that are in the house
to kind of ground that and bring it to the 21st century.
(17:00):
You know what I'm really hearing? Like all of this that you're saying,
bringing in the tones from nature.
Really, it's about the experience of your home more than just the looks and the aesthetics.
And I think, I mean, I'm remembering back when we had our formal living rooms,
you know, and people still do that.
But when I was a kid, we had a formal dining room, we had a formal living room.
Then we had a formal living room. When you weren't allowed to go into.
(17:20):
That's right. We were not allowed. We were cringeworthy only, you know.
But, you know, I think people are really looking for more of an experience with
their home rather than like a piece of.
To just look at aesthetically. It's got to be both. It's got to be user-friendly
and they want it to be integrative.
They want to feel like they can be cozy in it. It's about the experience.
(17:41):
And I just love that. And I love how log homes just fit to that so easily.
It's just so natural to have that. That's just so great.
And that kind of leads me to think about another thing that we're doing in this issue.
We actually did it in two ways. It was sort of serendipity that
worked worked out this way because I was thinking
about home technology and you know there's a
(18:01):
lot of ways now to incorporate home
tech into a log home where it's not as intrusive I think as it used to be you
know it it feels a little bit more organic to the log home experience as opposed
to just being like tech and nature sort of like siding with each other.
(18:23):
So we did a piece, actually, Catherine Owen, who's my managing editor,
did a piece on smart home tech that's easy to use because that's one thing.
I mean, I will be the first one to admit that I'm a little skeptical when it
comes to overdoing the technology in your house.
I don't have an Alexa or anything like that. I don't really want that in my
home, but it's used, my dad does.
(18:44):
My dad has some mobility issues And so it's wonderful for him because he can
say, hey, Alexa, turn the lights on. And Alexa does.
So, you know, it absolutely has a lot of practical applications,
especially as we age in place in our homes.
It allows a lot of people to stay in their houses longer than they might have
been able to if they hadn't had access to these things.
(19:06):
But yeah, they can feel kind of intrusive. They can feel kind of like they don't
really belong, especially in a log home environment.
So Catherine did a great job of finding some really useful products that integrate
well into the log environment.
And then the serendipity part was every issue we feature what we call the reader
spotlight, where all of our homes are obviously owned by readers and real people.
(19:29):
But we tell those stories where every issue we like to have one reader tell
the story from their point of view.
And so they kind of write the story and we publish it like in their own words.
And that's what Reader Spotlight is. So it just turned out that the Reader Spotlight
that we had selected for this particular issue, when we started to peel back
(19:50):
the layers, was full of home technology. I mean, all kinds of stuff.
So that was sort of really interesting because we hadn't really planned it that way.
But I love being able to see those kinds of products that we talked about in
our product feature actually put into practice in this home that we're able
to show readers side by side.
And you would never be able to tell that there's anything super techie about
(20:14):
this house, but it's techie to the nines.
That's neat. Oh man, you're just so good at making me want that even more.
My son, my 15-year-old son is,
a tech way. Like he's in the robotics team. Like he's very, he's very,
well, it's kind of cool because I have four kids.
(20:38):
So my, my, my youngest boy, so my youngest is my daughter, but my youngest boy is so old fashioned.
Like he loves the log home. He loves the woods. He's just so right in his element
in this house that we have.
And my daughter, she walks around the house. Like I love this house.
Like she's just that randomly. I just love it.
It's just my oldest. He's so techie and he always has been.
(21:01):
He would love if we could incorporate like he actually this is a funny little
random side story, but he's the one that introduced us to Alexa.
We were like you, Donna. We were like, no, Alexa.
And I told him he's not getting one. I'm not buying one. We're not going to have one.
You know what? That kid called the Disney radio station and won.
He was like the one millionth caller like the crazy thing yes and i'm like okay
(21:26):
well i guess god got that one figured out and i'm out on this deal like.
Now we have an alexa but you know it's just it's like the one modern tag thing,
but all i have to say is he would just really like
if i let him deck out our home and modern and smart home
(21:49):
features boy would he have a field day that would be just right there's
some fun ones out there and there's some that make a lot of sense and there's
some that like why in the world would you ever need to use that yeah oh goodness
you're a little crazy that yeah the ones some practical practical points to
them that's for sure definitely not there yet,
(22:12):
Well, tell us where, again, tell us where people can go to subscribe.
We'll make sure to link it in the show notes as well, but just for those that are listening.
You can go to loghome.com and right up in the upper left-hand corner,
you'll see little pictures of the covers of the magazine and you can go there to subscribe.
We're in all Barnes and Noble bookstores. We're in Books A Million.
(22:33):
We're in select grocery stores and Home Depots and Costco's.
We're not in every single one of those.
So we're kind of in areas where log homes are really popular and there's other
areas where it doesn't make sense for us to be there.
But pretty much if you go to a Barnes & Noble Books a Million,
you can find it on the newsstand. The easiest way is to just get it in your mailbox and subscribe.
It's cheaper. You can get an entire year's worth of magazines for the cost of
(22:56):
about slightly more than one than you would pay on the newsstand.
So it's really the best deal if you love log homes and you love looking at pictures
of log homes and hearing other people's success stories and also the problems.
I mean, every Every home build comes up, you know, there's always problems on
a job site. It doesn't matter what you're building.
Every issue we have are from the field column, which is written by Dan Mitchell,
(23:18):
who is a builder in Tennessee, but is familiar with issues nationwide.
You know, he's kind of a, although he doesn't build nationwide,
he's very involved at the national level as far as building goes.
So he tackles some of the issues that he sees on job sites and tells people
how to overcome them or how to deal with them.
If it's something you can't really overcome, but you just kind of have to manage
(23:39):
the process, which is ironically what his column is about in this March issue
is about the purpose of the process.
Just kind of making sure that people understand that kind of thing when they're
going into designing and building a home.
So, yeah, so all that stuff is it could come right to your house and you don't
have to go search for it and get it for cheaper.
Fantastic. Okay, wonderful.
(24:01):
Thank you. All right. Well, until next quarter, when the next season launches,
you guys go check out the magazine, subscribe, make it easy on yourself. You know, you want to.
I'm like, my decorating is ready to go.
It's handy. It is so good. Yes. Because I'm doing twofold. Like,
(24:24):
I think, how can I apply it to my house now?
And then I have my Caribou Creek home that I've visualized.
I've written out my floor plan. I have it's like my 10 year my next 10 year
plan so I have that one to decorate too you know,
we're gathering those ideas that's right excellent thank you so much all right
thanks so much Lizzie all right talk to you next time.
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