Category: decor and accessories

Every room of your home has a different feel to it. The reason for this is that every room looks a little different and is stocked with different furniture and décor. If you’ve thought about changing things up by furnishing your entire home with unique items made from wood, there is a book that is perfect for you.

Published in October 2012, The Handbuilt Home: 34 Simple Stylish and Budget-Friendly Woodworking Projects for Every Room by Ana White is a comprehensive handbook of 34 unique projects that you can make by hand using wood and other basic items to construct them.

With step-by-step tips on how to make these items by yourself, you’ll be amazed at how unique you can really make your home look. The book describes how to make a variety of furniture pieces. They include wood beds, dressers, Adirondack chairs, small play tables for the kids, end tables, storage units, simple home accessories and so much more. The book specifies how each of the 34 items can be made by utilizing basic types of wood available in your local hardware store. It then describes which tools are needed to work with the wood. In each example, only a saw, a drill, and other simple tools are necessary to make these items. The text is also written in a very basic format for beginners who have no experience whatsoever in woodworking or furniture building. Additionally, the book lists costs and estimates of how much time each step of the individual projects will take, making the experience understandable and more enjoyable for all. Once you finish making one ore more of these items, you’ll enjoy the rustic feel that it brings to your home.

Author Ana White is a popular online blogger who has helped to inspire millions of readers with her writing style that encourages individuals to try something new by making things themselves. White has openly documented how she has saved thousands of dollars by getting stylistic ideas from stores and then making her own creations on a small budget. She is a young mother and demonstrates how people with limited finances can still make the most of them. White hails from Alaska and got into making furnishings for her home when she designed and later built her own residence. You can learn more about her and get inspired yourself at www.ana-white.com.

For additional resources on how to make furniture using logs and wood, be sure to check out LogFurniture.com.

Flowers add a lot of flair to a room. Flower stands come in all shapes, styles, and sizes. In fact, there are several ways you can make a rustic flower stand that will go well in a log cabin or a home in which rustic furniture is prominent. Here is a basic method of making a rustic flower stand courtesy of the rustic furniture book Great American Rustics:

The flower stand in this how-to example should be hexagonal in shape, meaning it is six-sided. The sides should be fixed to a base supported upon tripod legs. It will stand about 3’3’’ in height. Elm boards are suitable for making the sides of the stand and the bottom of it. They should be 1’3’’ in height by 9’’ in width at the top end. At the bottom end, they should be 6.5’’ high by 1’’ thick.

Put the edges of the boards at a level of roughly 60 degrees and fix them with nails to make them sturdy. When all six sides are completed, prepare the hexagonal stand baseboard to be used as part of the next step. Put holes in it for drainage purposes, and make sure that these holes are equidistant so that they are 1.25’’ in diameter at an angle of roughly 60 degrees for the tenons of the legs to go in. Next, you should screw the base to the sides of the stand and ensure it is all fixed together properly.

The twigs for this fixing process should be seasoned so that they are at least a year old prior to using them. In addition, the twigs should be sawn in halves. Straight twigs should be used as well. If it is necessary, shoot the edges slightly so as to create a closer fit when fixing them so that they are parallel. Attach the lower border to the hexagonal base of the stand. Then, the upright pieces should go over the angles, which are hollow. Finally, fix the top-sloping pieces and then the horizontal twigs. The legs should be nailed at the stand’s base and at the center where they cross each other. They should be further secured with twigs that will essentially act as rungs.

By following these steps, you should find yourself with a beautiful, handmade rustic flower stand!

Increase your knowledge about log and rustic furniture as well as various methods you can use to create your own amazing rustic creations by using LogFurniture.com. This website is a tremendous informational resource on log furniture whether you’re looking to buy it from a local company or simply want to learn a new hobby by making your own furniture pieces.

Ranch life is like nothing else. Living in a rural environment away from the everyday noise and stresses of city life can be an extremely relaxing way to enjoy life. Even if you rent a log cabin on a ranch for a few weeks or months, it will be one of the best getaways you will ever experience.

According to a recent story on FoxNews.com, the following list consists of some of the best “wild west” ranches in the United States:

THE ALISAL GUEST RANCH & RESORT
Solvang, California

This ranch offers 10,000 acres of grazing fields, canyons, and hills.
It’s a working cattle ranch that goes all the way back to the 1800s. It currently houses about 100 horses and was once the home of former Kentucky Derby winner Flying Ebony. Horseback riding lessons, golf, tennis, and bass fishing are among the many fun activities available here. The resorts contain lots of rustic and log furniture items for your enjoyment.

SOUTHERN CROSS GUEST RANCH
Madison, Georgia

This equestrian ranch offers a “wild west” feel despite the fact that it’s in the southeastern U.S. It is home to more than 150 horses, many of which guests can ride. With lots of open pastures and wooded trails, the ranch offers a comfortable and rustic spot for vacationers looking to just sit back and enjoy nature. It’s only about an hour outside of Atlanta.

RED HORSE MOUNTAIN RANCH
Harrison, Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

This 300,000-acre ranch is located in the beautiful state of Idaho. Guests can enjoy riding through trails and exploring the western wilderness with plenty of elk to keep you company. The accommodations here include log cabins and fancy suites for western lovers. They are furnished with rustic log furniture, covered porches, and outside decks. If you aren’t into riding horses, you can fish, play archery, or have some fun riding a zip line.

BRASADA RANCH
Powell, Butte, Oregon

Located in the high desert of central Oregon, this quaint 1,800-acre retreat offers Juniper trees, private lakes, a tricky golf course, and plenty of sunshine throughout the year. The lodge and cabins here are casual yet elegant and include rustic furniture to make the experience as western as possible. From horseback riding to fly-fishing, there is an activity for everyone to enjoy. If you just want to sit around a campfire at night and enjoy the stars, you can do that, too. Oregon is one of the most picturesque states in the country, and a trip to this ranch will capture many of those images for you.

Have you ever dreamt about a life away from the stresses of a fast-paced metropolitan? Living in a log cabin or even surrounding yourself with rustic furniture can go from being a dream to a true reality. There is a book that explains how you can make this happen and where to turn for advice on rustic retreats and furnishings.

Cabin Fever: Rustic Style Comes Home is a terrific hardcover book that explains where the most popular rustic and log cabins are located throughout the United States. This includes various retreats from New York to the “wild, wild West” of Montana and Wyoming. The book also explores the different kinds of architecture that were popular years ago and are popular today and how this architecture speaks to us. If you’ve ever thought about renting a log cabin or actually moving into one permanently to get away from the hustle-and-bustle of urban life in a major city, this book is for you. This 208-page text, which was published by Simon & Schuster in September 1998, discusses the American dream of living in a log cabin and the simplicity of life that goes along with it.

One of the major themes throughout this book is that life can be much less stressful and much more enjoyable when living in a manmade log cabin or lodge. This includes having log furniture as well. There is nothing more relaxing than spending time in a small residence that has been made with naturally occurring materials, such as rustic logs. From dazzling photographs of outside views of cabins to the inside furnishings that make them true natural pieces of architecture, you can learn about the past and present types of log furniture manufacturing as well as where you can find these items for purchase or for rent in a lodge setting. An outdoor-style life is very affordable if you have the desire for it, and this is the main message of this text.

The book was written by Rachel Carley, who has authored several books on log cabins and nature. Her other titles include The Backyard Book: Ideas and Resources for Outdoor Living (1988), Wilderness A to Z: An Essential Guide to the Great Outdoors (Outdoor and Nature) (2001), and A History As Told by the New Milford Historical Society’s Portraits and Paintings (2000).

Books are a tremendous resource for information and inspiration about rustic furniture. But you should also use LogFurniture.com as a comprehensive online resource if you are exploring the possibility of adding log furniture to your home or moving into a log cabin to get away from it all.