7 Popular Small Log Home Ideas

Living full-time or vacationing in a small log home doesn’t mean you need to feel cramped or cluttered up. There are many things you can do make living in a smaller house more pleasing and comfortable. You can start by optimizing the door and window placement and creating more useful space inside.

Sleeping in the attic and creating an efficient kitchen opens up more space for the den or living room and bathrooms. Add a porch or two to provide more living space outside the main home. Save a lot of money by building with log siding instead of full logs and leave space to grow and expand.

Optimize Door And Window Placement

One of the first things you should put into your small log home plans is the optimum placement of doors and windows. Strategic window placement allows light to bounce into the home and can make rooms appear much larger by reflecting light and maximizing views.

Instead of installing two solid wood doors, use those with glass in the upper half to let more light in the house. You will have more outdoor views and receive the sun’s heat in the winter with doors as well as windows. Use glass that protects from UV rays in windows and doors. When possible, orient the house with the longest walls facing south and north.

Create More Space Inside

To help obtain more usable space inside your log home, use innovative storage solutions. Create hidden storage areas to help keep the house more organized and clutter-free, such as:

• Built-in cabinets
• Under-bed storage
• Under-seating storage
• Better-positioned shelving

Another great idea is using multipurpose furniture, fixtures, and appliances. You can use cabinetry also as workspaces and wall hooks to hang things on. Try Murphy beds and pull-out couches to maximize room space. The more space you open up, the easier it is to navigate around the house.

Using A Loft Is A Growing Trend

Making a bedroom or other rooms in a loft provides a few welcomed benefits. One is that they stay warmer in the winter because heat rises. Another is that can feel more like you are camping out than sleeping in a house. Still, another idea is that you get a higher, fun, and more open view of the area below.                                                                                                                                                          

A loft space is flexible and can be used for multiple purposes beside bedrooms, such as:

• Office space
• Child’s playroom
• Reading area
• Media or gaming space
• Exercise area

“There are many things you can do make living in a smaller house more pleasing and comfortable.”

Make An Efficient Kitchen

Most people agree the two best kitchen layouts for small log homes are the U-shape and the L-shape with an island. Both designs are more functional because they minimize the steps you take to prepare and cook food or prepare beverages.

Avoid buying large kitchen appliances such as the usual stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, above-the-stove ovens, microwaves, and sink. Go for more compact appliances that still meet your and your family’s needs.

Add A Porch Or Two

Creating more outdoor living space seems to open up a smaller log home. Even though porches are not inside your home, they provide areas for eating, socializing, enjoying the view, and getting outside the house. Other options include decks and patios for accomplishing the same purposes.

Porches are relaxing places, and sitting on them for awhile lets you notice things you would not ordinarily see by staying inside the house. They can be open, screened-in, or enclosed with wood walls. A ceiling fan provides a refreshing breeze in the warmer months.

Build With Pine Log Siding

During these inflationary times, everyone wants to conserve their money to buy essentials. Building a small log home with pine log siding is an excellent way to curb costs. Real wood log siding provides the full log look without the full log price and maintenance issues.

• The material and transportation savings are substantial
• Labor costs are lower and there’s no crane expense
• Skilled homeowners can install the siding to save even more
• Long-term maintenance costs are reduced

Leave Space To Grow And Expand

If you have growing children or plan for an elderly relative to live with you in the future, design your small log home for expansion. Create a floor plan that will allow an add-on room or two to accommodate them. This can eliminate selling your home and moving into a more expensive one that may be above your budget.

We hope these small log home ideas will prove useful to you. Most of them will continue popular for many years to come.

Resources And References:

• Benefits Of Lofts 
• Log Siding Benefits