When building new log homes, plans are the very first step. Whether or not the property has already been purchased, floor plans are a very important step in planning. So let’s explore some good ways to locate quality plans, some differences in them, and some features you don’t want to be without.
For the future homeowner the first objective is to locate a wide variety of plans to choose from. Magazines such as “Cabin Life” and “Log Home Living” are good sources of not only information but also designs. For those who like to explore online, there are many websites that feature various sized homes. Though a standard floor plan book can be helpful there are building specifics that are unique to log home engineering, so a standard floor plan may not work with built from logs. So sticking with timber and log cabin plans is a wise idea.
While magazines many times offer a wide variety of companies, one drawback is the lack of plans organized by size. Companies with a good design selection usually have them either listed by size on their website or in their plan book. Having several in a row to look at that are all within a similar square footage size is where more ideas can be assimilated.
There are two prime ways that log home plans are categorized, 1. by square footage, and 2. by type of home. Some companies prefer to display all of their post and beam plans together, timber frame, stacked log, and handcrafted log plans. This is helpful when you already know which style of home you desire. When listed by square footage the breakdown is commonly Up To 1000 Sq. Ft., 1000 to 2200 Sq. Ft., and Over 2200 Sq. Ft. Within these general guidelines then plans can be evaluated.
Small cabins are considered the first grouping. With only a 1000 square feet or less to work with only the essentials are included. One bedroom, an open loft, great room area, kitchen and bath are about the limit to the smaller ones. Frills in these cabins include things such as second floor exterior balconies, a wood stove in the corner, or a covered front or rear deck. Other aesthetic additions to a cabin can be the use of trapezoid windows or a king truss mounted on the front.
Home in the middle range of 1000-2200 are extremely livable for year round homes. With this much space multiple bedrooms can be included, a nice sized kitchen, and master suite. Other features which also add class to a home are a large open loft, a multi-sided breakfast nook, and a stone fireplace. One trend in log home plans with 50+ year old owners are a distinct lack of three or more bedrooms. Instead couples in this bracket have a lack of young people in the house, so instead they opt for a master suite, second bedroom for guests, and then areas for exercise equipment, hobby rooms, a den, or home office. Other frills that are very desirable are attached garages.
In the high end of the square footage, focusing on the over 2200 sq. ft. plans, these log homes can be even outrageous at times. Occasionally homes in this spectrum are simply larger standard looking homes, but much more commonly these plans are extremely outstanding. Features such as spiral stair log turrets, log gazebos, and wide prowled fronts.
The largest person home plan that I ever worked with was a 23,000 square foot mansion. It was made from round post and beam superstructure. Then between the logs SIP panels were used to finish the home. Extravagance was visible everywhere. This home included a six garage attached garage, complete with vaulted ceiling. On the two outside corners of the view side of the home 16 foot wide log gazebos were located. In the ceilings of them specialty trapezoid skylights were added. On the front side a covered porch, accented with flared bottom Western Red Cedar character posts rested on hand tiled slate patios. And just to the right of the grand entryway a two story log turret stretched up to the sky, encasing the spiral log staircase.
Over all when choosing log homes plans for yourself, features that you don’t want to miss out on include a log staircase, open loft, first floor laundry, and a nice deck. Simple log home plans are just as appealing as vary ornate ones. So the happy medium is to find plan and an elevation which will satisfy you for years to come.