And while log home living is as much about the living as it is the logs, it's also true that a lot of that living occurs outside the home. Porches and decks transport log-home living into the outdoors. Often, it’s to gaze at the view, whether mighty or modest, but sometimes it’s just to sit and feel overwhelming contentment.
Purple Mountains Majesty.
The pinnacle for some log-home owners is not just enjoying a spectacular view of distant peaks, but also living atop one. Such a lofty experience can be exhilarating, but it’s often also a humbling one in the face of such natural splendor.
Pastoral Appreciation.
Log home decks and porches needn’t be elaborate or the view awe-inspiring to enrich the log-home experience. A farmland setting can be as calming or inspiring as any. The key is that when you site the home, you face it in the right direction to maximize the view.
Three Chairs for the Scenery.
The purpose of log home decks and porches is to sit, not stand or walk around. Relax. That means having the right chairs and in the right position to make the most of the near and distant views. Classic perches are wicker, typically cushioned, and the venerable Adirondack chairs. Though wicker is more stylish, slat-back Adirondacks also feature wide arm rests, which are ideal resting places for drinks, books and binoculars, all essential to maximizing relaxation.
For More Than Just Sitting.
Wide porches offer plenty of shade that invite outdoor living. In essence, they become an additional room. This extra space is especially welcome for small homes and cabins to avoid overdoing interior coziness. The right furniture can transform a porch into an alfresco dining room. Hand-fashioned railings and posts amplify the rustic mood established by the wall logs and ease the transition from the house to its natural surroundings.
Face Time.
Decks have one big advantage over porches: sunshine. That makes them especially inviting for mornings and evenings. Decks also promote conviviality. With nature as their backdrop, decks instill appreciation of simplicity, which requires only essential furnishings. A table-and-chair grouping is more than adequate for casual or intimate conversations.
Inside Outside.
In cooler climes, enthusiasm for porches is short lived but can be overcome by enclosing them. This is not a contradiction. Screened-in porches are an indoor-outdoor compromise, but dedicated sun porches provide year-round comfort and plenty of natural light. Protected from the weather, they’re ideal places to furnish in stylish but casual comfort.
Dutch Oven
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