Rest Easy Relaxing Bedrooms

Planning a Visit to Our Mill

Selecting Your Property

July-Aug. 2015

National Log Cabin Month

In this issue...

July-Aug. 2015

Dan Smith is Honest Abe’s Sales Representative at the Mufreesboro Model Home Center. He’s been with the company for 13 years. He says his goal is guiding customers through the process of designing and building the home they’ve dreamed of having.

Our People

Honest Abe Living July-Aug. 20152HonestAbe.com

Facebook – Like us on our Facebook fan page and join the growing community.

Twitter – Articles, resources, photo galleries and log home news, all shared here first.

YouTube – Watch and learn about log and timber frame homes on our YouTube station.

LinkedIn – Follow company and log home industry news on our LinkedIn company profile page.

Find Honest Abe Living articles, stunning photography and more information at the Honest Abe Log Homes blog

and news room. www.honestabe.com/blog

Pinterest – Make your board more beautiful by pinning Honest Abe pictures.

Google+ – Join the Honest Abe circle for photos, news, ideas and more.

For photos, floor plans and much more visit

www.honestabe.com

Connect with Honest Abe800-231-3695

Relaxing Bedrooms, p. 4 Events, p. 10 Visiting the Mill, p. 10 Log Cabin Month, p. 11 Property Selection, p. 12 Cooking with Lodge, p. 13

Honest Abe Living editing, design and layout by Claudia Johnson, Director of Marketing

Jeff Clements, Vice President, has been with Honest Abe for 15 years. He’s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r D i r e c t S a l e s , Independent Dealers and other duties.

Jeff Gregory operates and maintains t h e m o s t e x p e n s i v e p i e c e o f equipment owned by the company, a Weining Molder and Planer. He is a highly skilled craftsman responsible for maintaining the quality and specifications of our milled logs, timbers and wood siding.

From the President’s Desk by Josh Beasley, President, Honest Abe Log Homes

3HonestAbe.com

It seems like every special interest and product has an official day. Two of my personal favorites will be coming up soon. National Bacon Day is on Sept. 5, and National Coffee Day on Sept. 29. Bacon and coffee are just hard to beat in my mind!

I have one more favorite – log cabins. Deservingly, log homes don’t have just one day. Instead the whole month of July has been dedicated to celebrate their historic and ongoing significance.

On page 11 we discuss how National Log Cabin

Month came about and how Honest Abe intends to celebrate. We encourage log and timber home enthusiasts alike to take advantage of this special time of year.

Home manufacturers, builders and owners will recognize the month with open house events, construction tours and seminars. A list of Honest Abe’s

event being hosted by our model homes in Tennessee and by some of our dealers across the country are listed on page 10, with more details on our website.

I n b e t w e e n t h e cookouts, vacations and family gatherings, pack up the vehicle and head out for a couple of weekend trips this July.

Take in all of what our industry and homeowners have to share. It will be a great opportunity to learn and prepare for building a custom log or timber home.

See a variety of beautiful homes, partake of some excellent coffee, eat more bacon and have a great adventure along the way!

Honest Abe Living July-Aug. 2015

Forever looks better from here

Manufacturers of custom designed log and timber frame

forever homes since 1979.800-231-3695

www.honestabe.com

This striking bedroom combines an unexpected mixture of materials and styles. ✤ Round log exterior wall ✤ Timber frame exterior wall featuring square and arched window

configuration ✤ Natural finish tongue and groove vaulted ceiling with contrasting

exposed beams ✤ Dark 12” x12’ tile floor ✤ Recessed ceiling lighting ✤ Ceiling fans

HonestAbe.com

Rest Easy Relaxing Bedrooms

4HonestAbe.com Honest Abe Living July-Aug. 2015

Adjacent Bath

5HonestAbe.com Honest Abe Living July-Aug. 2015

Design of a bedroom is a direct reflection of how the

homeowner perceives the space.

- Melissa Copas, Honest Abe Designer

By Claudia Johnson, Honest Abe Log Homes

Making  decisions  about  bedrooms  for  log  or  timber  frame  homes  is  no  different   in   some   ways   than   for   any   home.   Decisions   like   how   many  bedrooms,   what   size   each   room   will   be   and   whether   there   will   be   an  adjacent   bathroom   are   basic.   However,   for   log   and   timber   homeowners,  there   are   a   number   of   design   options   that   would   seldom   be   considered  with  a  traditionally  built  home.  

“Design   of   a   bedroom   is   a   direct   re@lection   of   how   the   homeowner  perceives  the  space,”  observed  Melissa  Copas,  a  designer  with  Honest  Abe  for   18   years.   “Bedrooms   tend   to   be   considered   functional   rooms   were  people  sleep  or  personal  spaces  of  refuges  and  relaxation.”  

Copas   said   that   just   because   a   bedroom   is   designed   for   pure  functionality,  it  does  not  mean  that  aesthetics  must  be  sacri@iced.  

“Choices  of  windows,  lighting,  interior  walls,  ceiling  treatment,  @looring  and  even   the   log   style   itself   can  add   to   the  beauty  of   a   small  bedroom  or  guest   room,”   she   said.   “We’ve   done   some   very   creative   things  with   small  spaces  in  vacation  homes  and  children’s  rooms.”  

In  recent  years  the  incorporation  of  a  small  of@ice  has  become  prevalent  for  those  who  extend  their  work  space   into  the  bedroom.  More  bedrooms  are  featuring  @ireplaces  and  sitting  areas.  Doors  opening  onto  a  deck,  porch  or  patio  –  often  private  –  are  an  increasingly  common  feature.  

“We  have  homeowners  who  orient  their  home  and  make  choices  about  windows   based   solely   on   the   view   they   wish   to   see   as   they   rise   in   the  morning  or  relax  in  the  evening,”  Copas  said.  

The   height   created   by   log   and   timber   roof   systems   lends   itself   to   the  option  of  a  mezzanine  in  some  bedrooms.  This  additional  vertical  space  has  been  creatively  claimed  for  such  uses  as  reading  nook  and  small   library,  a  celestial  observation  point  and  a  computer  alcove.  

“One  of  the  great  advantages  of  fashioning  bedroom  space  is  that  with  interior   walls,   there   are   several   options,”   Copas   said.   “There’s   sheetrock,  wood,  timber  frame  or  a  combination  of  materials  that  can  achieve  a   look  entirely   different   from   the   predominately   wood   areas   of   the   more   open  rooms  of  the  house.”  

Copas  has  selected  photos  of  some  of  the  bedrooms  created  by  Honest  Abe  customers  to  illustrate  how  the  most  personal  room  of  a  home  can  be  stunningly  beautiful  and  relaxing.  

More than a place for sleeping

6HonestAbe.com Honest Abe Living July-Aug. 2015

These rooms show two interpretations of a master suite. The expansive room above has a sitting room and is flooded by light from large windows situated to take advantage of an endless view. Below, there’s a cozy fireplace, French

doors opening onto a wrap-around porch and a spiral staircase leading to a sitting room-office.

HonestAbe.com 7 Honest Abe Living July-Aug. 2015

Making room for guests Honest Abe homeowners have prioritized creating warm and

welcoming bedrooms for guests.

The bedroom above makes good use of a small space off a second floor landing. A

natural finish on the wood walls, ceiling and floor keeps it light. Note the storage access

door – a bonus in most upstairs rooms.

Drywall and wood are used in combination in the rooms above and left, and both have

hardwood flooring. But it’s the windows that create the difference. The six over six pane

selection above evokes a more traditional feel.

Light carpet, large single-pane windows, light finish on square logs and a white,

low-hung white lighted ceiling fan make a small room seem large and airy. The use of

pastels for window treatments and other fabrics contributes to the impact.

HonestAbe.com Honest Abe Living July-Aug. 2015

The Children’s Hour

There are many ingenious ways to make a log room the perfect child’s room, even utilizing extra

space with bunks in a wold-be closet, above.

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HonestAbe.com 9 Honest Abe Living July-Aug. 2015

Special Decorations Bedrooms can be decorated for Christmas or other

holidays, left, with family antiques or vintage collectables, below top, or for special interests, like

the American Southwest below.

10HonestAbe.com Honest Abe Living July-Aug. 2015

Upcoming EventsDetails are available at

www.honestabe.com/events.

July – Honest Abe Celebrates National Log Cabin Month – Visit Our Models & Dealers.

Open House Events

July 3 – Crossville Model July 11 – Cookeville Model July 10 – Rocky-K Log Homes, dealer, Ky. July 11 – Homes by Jack, dealer, Va. July 11 – Red Bud Log Homes, dealer, Iowa July 18 – Murfreesboro Model July 18 – National Headquarters July 18 – Virginia Mountain Log Homes, dealer, Va. July 19 – Homestead Log Homes, dealer, Ky.

Aug. 18 @ 7 p.m. – FREE Webinar. Planning an Outdoor Living Space for a Log or Timber Home. Hosted by Honest Abe & Log Home Living.

Sept. 19 @ 9 a.m. -12 p.m. – Honest Abe Log Raising and Mill Tour, Moss, Tenn.

Nov. 3 @ 7 p.m. – FREE Webinar. Choosing Log vs. Timber Frame. Hosted by Honest Abe & Log Home Living.

Plan a Tour of Honest Abe’s Mill Acquisition of an electric golf cart will enable visitors to Honest Abe's Model Home and Manufacturing Facilities at Moss to take an intimate and comfortable guided tour without extensive walking. “Guests are always welcome at any of our model homes,” said Jeff Clements, Honest Abe Vice President. “We encourage anyone interesting in how log homes are manufactured to schedule a guided tour of our plant at our National Headquarters.. There’s no need to wait for a special event, though the tour in included in our log raisings we host several times each year.” Clements said the tour includes the model home, the plant, the kiln and the log storage facility. “It’s a very thorough tour that really shows how a home is made from the time the wood arrives at our lot until it leaves on the truck,” Clements said. He pointed out that Honest Abe’s stability and longevity in the industry allows the company to purchase logs, dry them and store them under cover so that there is no waiting between the time a contract is signed and manufacturing a new home begins. Call 800-231-3695 to arrange a tour or for information.

Honest Abe Home Featured Log Home Living Magazine

One of Honest Abe Log Homes’ beautiful creations is featured in the July issue of Log Home Living as part of the Dream Home Showcase. Pick up a copy and read about this amazing home built for two couples – close friends – who shared a vacation home to achieve their log home ownership dream.

Jeff Clements in New Cart

HonestAbe.com Honest Abe Living July-Aug. 201511

Honest Abe Log Homes is celebrating National Log Cabin Month by hosting open houses, home tours, log raising demonstrations, factory tours, seminars and more during the month of July.

“With four model homes, including our national headquarters and manufacturing plant in Tennessee, and a network of more than four dozen independent dealers across the United States, there’s plenty of opportunity for people to learn more about log homes,” said Josh Beasley, President of Honest Abe Log Homes.

National Log Cabin Month activities will provide opportunities for experiencing the beauty of finished log homes first-hand as well as meeting with designers and visiting construction sites.

“We’re proud to say that more than 7,000 families have chosen Honest Abe to design and manufacture their home,” Beasley said. “It is great to be part of an industry that is interwoven with the history of our country.

That history was recognized by United States Congress in 2012 when Rep. Reid J. Ribble of Wisconsin spoke about the importance of the log home industry calling it "a quintessential symbol of the American pioneering spirit, embodying America's strength and ingenuity."

"Log cabin production directly supports thousands of jobs from builders to sales professionals, as well as the housing market, lending institutions and many others," Ribble noted. "The people of this industry are hard-working, charitable and deserving of recognition for their centuries of accomplishment.”

For a complete listing of Honest Abe’ free events during July or to receive information at any time visit www.honestabe.com.

Celebrating the importance of Log Cabins in America’s Past and Future

Log Homes are Good for the Environment

During National Log Cabin Month, Honest Abe will provide information to our guests about the inherent ‘green’ nature of log homes. For example, the modern manufacturing process utilizes every portion of the log, and pre-cut log home packages go up quickly and leave less waste on the job site compared to conventional construction. Logs used for construction are solid and uninterrupted. Coupled with

modern sealant materials and building techniques, this makes log homes highly energy efficient. For more about Honest Abe’s green practices, visit www.honestabe.com/stewardship-green-practices.

“Log cabins, whether used for recreation or as primary residences,

are economically sustainable, reducing waste and employing

materials that put Mother Nature’s beauty at center stage.”

– Congressman Ribble

What to Consider When Selecting Property for a Wood Home

Mitchell Creek Marina

HonestAbe.com Honest Abe Living July-Aug. 201512

The basics of planning and building a log home or timber frame home are explored in a webinar (free) hosted by Honest Abe Vice President Jeff Clements and the editors of Log Home Living magazine. Enjoy the webinar on a tablet, phone or computer anytime at http://bit.ly/1LuxexE.

by Jeff Clements, Vice President, Honest Abe Log Homes Where do you want your new log home, log cabin or timber frame home to be? That greatly varies. It’s

commented many times that we just don’t see that many log or timber frame homes driving up and down the road. There is a good explanation for that. Many times the property where these homes are being built is as unique as the owners and the home itself. Through the fields on top of the hill. At the end of the dead end-road, hidden back in the valley or hollow. On the side of the hill with a great view. These homes are built everywhere and usually there is an emotional reason why someone chooses the property they choose.

I knew when I was about 14 years old where I wanted my log home to be. It was on top of the hill in the woods where I rode horses and squirrel hunted growing up. I was lucky that this was on our 5th generation farm, and my mom and dad told Lisa and me to pick out wherever we wanted to build and then they deeded us that spot.

Where you put that dream home that you’ve always wanted is just as important as the design. You’ve got the vision of where you want it and how you’ve pictured this home as you’re driving up in your driveway.

After the emotional considerations, it is good have logical considerations regarding the property. • Do I have access to utilities and services? If so, what is the cost? • Where is my water coming from? Do I dig a well? • Is there sewer options or do I need a septic tank? Will my soil pass the perk test? Do I have enough

space to get my field lines in on my lot? • Are there any restrictive covenants where you are building? Are there square footage minimums? • Are there any environmental restrictions…..is this property in a flood zone or a wetland? • After you find out that you can build your wood home on the property and have utilities, etc. and

that the price is acceptable, • I urge you to purchase early which will give you time to build equity in the property.

NOTE: Jeff Clements and wife Lisa are Honest Abe Log Home owners who built their custom log home prior to his professional relationship with Honest Abe.

Home of Jeff and Lisa Clements

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Corn Dip 2 (11-ounce) cans Mexicorn (corn kernels with red and green peppers) 1 (10-ounce) can shoepeg corn 3 green onions, chopped 1 cup sour cream 1 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon ground cumin Fresh lime juice to taste Salt and black pepper to taste

1. Drain the corn. Combine all the ingredients in a Lodge 5-quart cast iron Dutch oven a n d h e a t t h r o u g h o ve r medium-low heat.

2. When ready to serve, transfer to two Lodge 1-pint cast iron Country Kettles.

Makes 6 cups

With 200 recipes curated from Lodge's network of chefs and cast-iron cookware fans from around the country, Cast Iron Nation boasts a diverse array o f r e c i p e s , s t o r i e s a n d spectacular photography. Get it at www.lodgemfg.com.

Honest Abe Living July-Aug. 2015HonestAbe.com

Forever looks better from here

Manufacturers of custom designed log and timber frame

forever homes since 1979.

800-231-3695

www.honestabe.com