Green Tip: Tracking Energy Consumption in Your Home
Most people are unaware of the sneaky power thieves that reside in their homes. The truth is that even when your television/cablebox/DVD player is “off,” it’s still drawing electricity all day every day. (The clue is the little red light on the front of the unit.) However, short of turning everything completely off switch by… Read more »
Fall Log Home Events on Tap for Katahdin
We’re planning to hit the road this fall to share great design ideas with you! We’ve planned a busy schedule that will include the larger log home events as well as several Planning Seminars for an in-depth look at designing and building your Katahdin Cedar Log Home. These events offer you some tremendous opportunities to… Read more »
Plan of the Month – Modified Bonanza
The photos below depict an appealing twist to one of our most popular plans. The homeowners loved our Bonanza plan but they wanted a less formal feel and a few more open common areas for entertaining. They worked with our in-house design team to convert a first-floor bedroom to an open dining room, add a… Read more »
Kitchen Design: Rethinking Granite and Stainless
Granite and stainless finally have become the design standard for many kitchens. Yet the combination can begin to feel less than avant-garde, especially when designing for your log home. While many log home owners revel in the contrast between the warm surfaces of wood and the cool and shining surfaces of these two materials, some… Read more »
Green Tip-New Products from Recycled Paper
Post consumer recycled products made from paper have been limited to pretty much, well, paper. But a couple of new products caught our eye with applications in the home. The first is Shetka Stone, a pressure-treated low-VOC resin and epoxy-based product for countertops or other surfaces using shredded recycled paper currency called “Counterfeit Green” (left).… Read more »
Smart Air Conditioning: Five things you need to know
It used to be that just keeping cool was the goal of air conditioning. This domestic device found its initial development as a means to allow year-round manufacturing in the US while maintaining worker productivity. The first commercial air conditioner was built by Willis Carrier (see right) to cool and dehumidify a printing plant in… Read more »
How Katahdin’s Team Designs Your Dream
For many people, building their Katahdin Cedar Log Home is a new adventure, the result of many months of planning, research and ideas. Getting the home you want requires good communication, along with the combined expertise of your dealer (or representative) and the design team. We talked to the senior member of the design team,… Read more »
Cedar Ideas Launches New Website
If you love the look and longevity of cedar in your outdoor accessories, you’ll want to check out the new Cedar Ideas website. Since 1991, Katahdin’s subsidiary, Cedar Ideas, has been handcrafting outdoor accessories. The sister company uses cedar pieces that are the by-product of log home manufacturing. Until recently these planters, window boxes and… Read more »
Plan of the Month – Bonanza
The Bonanza is one of the most classic and elegant log home designs available. The home is defined by its full wraparound farmer’s porch, which allows a seemless transition from indoor to outdoor activites. With its open living spaces, four beds and four baths, the Bonanza is perfect for large families and frequent entertaining. Beds: … Read more »
Maine artist creates natural look with steel and stone
The first time you see Matthew Capps work it’s striking how delicate he can make steel and stone look. His one-man studio Rock Wood &Wire Designs, is the result of listening to his artistic heart and following his dreams to northern Maine. Capps first started working with stone as a small boy who had free… Read more »
Keep Invasive Species at Bay
Enjoying the outdoors lifestyle is one of the appeals of owning a log home. But for many urban transplants or weekend naturalists, it’s important to maintain good stewardship of the forests and waterways that surround your log home. One of the biggest threats to healthy forests and water habitats are invasive species. These plants and… Read more »
Green Certified: What does it really mean?
Green is the buzzword of this decade and we seem to find it cropping up in some of the most unlikely places. In general, most people can agree that managing the environment and controlling our consumption is a responsibility that humans share. But what does green really mean when it comes to shelter? Certainly homes… Read more »