Honest Abe Living, August 2024
New Life in the Blue Ridge
Lou and Eileen Pagano have settled nicely into their new Honest Abe log home in the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains.
“When we decided to move south to simplify our lives and get out of the hustle and bustle of New Jersey living, we knew we wanted a log cabin with lots of space between neighbors,” Lou said. “We also knew we wanted a home that was truly ours.”
They also knew they wanted a log home. It’s when they found Honest Abe Log Homes that everything began to fall into place.
Transitioning from Summer Fun to School-Time Organization
As the carefree days of summer fade into memory and the rhythm of the school year resumes, it’s time to shift gears and reorient ourselves toward structure and organization. The return to routine brings with it the opportunity to reclaim order and harmony within our homes, setting the stage for productivity, efficiency, and peace of mind. Designer Molly Cooper of Cooper & Co. offers practical tips for organizing after a summer of fun and getting both you and your home back on track.
Children's Activity Book
Order your copy of Three Honest Little Pigs.
Staining a Log Home
Watch a video of a re-staining project in progress.
Minimalism
Sometimes less is better.
The beautiful Southern Grace log and timber home was the first log home built by a newly introduced 10-inch round log in 2017. This is a 4,924SF hybrid home with two or more different building systems. The exterior incorporates a variety of complementary yet contrasting materials. Stacked manufactured stone surrounds the foundation, while large river stones form its porch pylons. Natural stained wood shakes cover the kitchen and dressing room windows and the garage gable and dormers. Timber frame construction was used for the master bedroom wing to the right of the entrance, with the wing’s exterior covered in board and batten. Dark gray/black dimensional shingles top the main roof, with Galvalume standing seam metal protecting the dormers and front porch. A distinctive feature on the inside is its purlin roof and half-log staircase. This floor plan won first place for home design in the 3,001-3,900 square feet category of the 2019 Jerry Rouleau Awards for Excellence in Home Design presented by the National Association of Home Builders Building Systems Councils. For the story and photos, visit Southern Grace.
Nannie’s Chicken & Rice
In this month’s Honest Abe Living In The Kitchen, April Smith Patterson is joined by her mother, Janie Smith, to create a Smith family favorite. Watch the video and then download the recipe to try it yourself.
Hood Family’s Mountain Home Dream Plan
Rick and Lisa Hood built the home they’d dreamed of in Morganton, North Carolina, following a lifelong dream of owning a log home. They chose square, dovetailed logs that would mimic what pioneers in their area long ago would have used.
The Hood home was a 2024 nominee for Log and Timber Home Living’s Best Log Home competition.
They’ve shared their custom-designed plan to inspire others.
