Log Home Ideas

If you like the idea of eco-friendly furniture, then you may want to check out one of the companies offering chairs, sofas, tables, etc. that are made from recycled or sustainably harvested products. The collection pictured here is from New West and features “recycled materials, organic ranch raised wool with dyeing and weaving done locally.” It seems like the perfect match for someone who wants to be responsible about the planet’s resources and yet wants the Old West rustic look (usually heavy on the wood and heavy on the leather).

Of course, products aren’t necessarily inexpensive because they’re recycled, and you know you’re going to pay more for anything with “organic” in the description. In this collection, the chair costs $4,155, the ottoman $1,455, the table $1,155, and the lamp $375 (don’t forget an extra $435 for the lamp shade).

New West

If you like the idea of giving some Old West flair to your log home, you can start in the bedroom with a wagon wheel headboard. This particular piece is made from bent willow by a company that specializes in making all sorts of furniture from willow trees. They have everything from porch swings, to tables, to rocking chairs, to plant stands.

This headboard may not be as authentic as an actual wagon wheel, but it does give you the Old West flavor. Throw in a few Navajo blankets, some boots with spurs on display in a corner, and one of those ubiquitous horseshoes nailed over the door and you’ll achieve Western ambience in the room.

The prices for the wagon wheel headboards run $210 for a twin, $300 for a queen/full, and $395 for a king.

Willow Works

Hanging wall-mounted items like shelves can be a bit of a pain when you’re dealing with log walls, but if you’ve got a few flat walls in your home, you might try some rustic wood shelves as a way to display items. Little shelves like these can be a fun way to keep knickknacks, small pieces of art, and valuable treasures on display but out of the way of passersby. Place them high enough and you don’t have to worry about the kids fumbling around and breaking your favorite items.

These particular shelves are made from recycled railroad ties, so if environmentally furnishings are important to you, you’ll like the fact that these are from reclaimed wood. They have been polished and waxed so they have a handsome sheen. The shelves are available from Velocity Art and Design in small, medium, and large sizes. Prices range from $36 to $96.

Over the last couple of months, I’ve showcased several pieces of log furnitures by various companies on here. But maybe you consider yourself a craftsman (or you’d like to learn to become one) and you’d like to learn how to build your own log furniture. I found this book that covers exactly that topic. Overall, the reviews at Amazon are positive:

“For a complete woodworking novice such as myself, this one and only manual on building your own log furniture has proven to be worth its weight in gold. The authors walk you through all stages of log furniture construction–from acquiring the necessary tools, wood, etc., to completing numerous projects, including the ultimate prize: a beautiful log bed.”

“I found this book to be very useful in building my first piece of log furniture. In fact my first project is a log bed (under construction at this time). There are few resources available that teach you how to build log furniture. Dan and Les have written a no nonsense book with detailed information on wood, tools, finishes and etc.”

At $33, the book isn’t exactly cheap, but it does sound like it has a lot of pictures and diagrams:

Build Your Own Log Furniture