Sept.-Oct. 2016
Welcome to the Oakley Home! 2016 Open House Tour In the End, You Have a Great Home
Log Cabin Open House Tour Oct. 22 From Dream to Home Efficiency and Stability Home Under Construction
Motive, Means & Opportunity Every aficionado of mysteries knows that the guilty had the ability to commit the crime (means), a reason to do it (motive) and the chance to commit the act (opportunity). The Honest Abe Open House Tour provides the opportunity to tour a variety of Honest Abe log homes, speak to the owners and learn first-hand about what it’s like to build and live in a log home. There are several possible motives for attending the Oct. 22 tour. You may never have been inside a log home, so here’s a chance. You may be planning on building soon, and you want answers from people who have recently experienced the process. You may have decided on everything about your new log home except the manufacturer, and you want to talk to people who have worked with Honest Abe and have seen our products. That’s why we’re providing the means for you to spend a beautiful autumn Saturday on the Open House Tour. We’ve par tnered w ith happy homeowners who want you to visit any time between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.. The tour ticket is free with a simple registration online or by calling an Honest Abe model home office. Wouldn’t it be a crime if you were guilty of missing the Open House Tour? Read more about it in this issue of Honest Abe Living, and commit yourself to a fun and informative day. After all, life in a log home wouldn’t be such a bad sentence, right?
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Sept.-Oct. 2016
In this issue...
FEATURED HOME: In the End, You Have a Great Home, p. 4
Open House Tour, p. 3 Livingston Plan, p. 12 Under Construction, p. 13 Tour an Historic Log Cabin, 13 Visit Four Model Homes, 13 From Dream to Home, p. 14 Lodge Cast Iron Recipe, 15 Honest Abe Living editing, design and layout by Claudia Johnson
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Find Honest Abe Living articles, stunning photography and more information at the Honest Abe Log Homes blog and news room. www.honestabe.com/blog Honest Abe Living Sept.-Oct. 2016
Honest Abe Open House Tour is set for Oct. 22 in Tennessee Brilliantly colored leaves dancing in the autumn sun; the smell of wood smoke from a cracking fire; and friendly faces inviting you into the home of their dreams. Experience all this during the Tennessee Honest Abe Open House Tour on October 22. The day begins when pre-registered guests pick up a tour map at 9 a.m. at Maps with directions to each any of Honest Abe’s model homes (see page 14) or at the Byrdstown, home that will serve as a free Tennessee, Welcome Center located on U.S. Hwy. 111 just north of beautiful ticket will be provided to trailDale Hollow Lake. Honest Abe homeowners will begin welcoming guests at goers who have pre-registered 10 a.m. HERE. With Open House at three strategically located homes – two completed and furnished, one in the final stages of construction – there’s ample time to tour them all before the free event ends at 3 p.m. There’re probably time to visit the historic Cordell Hull Birthplace Log cabin and one or more of our four models. The Open House Tour homes represent a variety of styles and floor plans. Homeowners are eager to show visitors how they worked with Honest Abe to create the beautiful and comfortable place to enjoy family and friends. They’re also prepared to field any questions about their experience in building and maintaining a log home and even offer advice and tips based on their experience. We’d love to see you on the Open House Tour. Register today to reserve your free tickets. Autumn in Tennessee should not be missed. And it certainly looks better from an Honest Abe Log Home.
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Honest Abe Living Sept.-Oct. 2016
In the End, You Have a Great Home By Claudia Johnson, Director of Marketing, Honest Abe Log Homes
Ask Tanner Oakley anything about the construction of his new house, and he’ll probably know the answer. Sounds reasonable since it is his house, right? Well, Tanner is just 10 years old, but the precocious and mannerly young man has experienced what few in the 21st century ever will – the building of a log cabin. “I was involved with every part,” said Tanner, whose parents Holly and Tim Oakley included him from the beginning. “I helped picked out the plans, and I helped clear the land.” Tanner recalled rising early to spend long days working with his father to prepare the construction site, which is located on 17 acres of wooded property on Dale Hollow Lake in Tennessee. “When we bought this land, we knew it needed a log cabin,” Holly said, adding that Tim’s brother had built an Honest Abe log home in 2008 only a few miles up the road. “We chose Honest Abe because of its location and also because of others who had dealt with them in the past and had good experiences. We were happy to support a local business.”
The Oakleys began working with Inez Price at Honest Abe Log Home’s National Headquarters in Moss, Tennessee, to create a home that fit into its natural surroundings and met the concerns of a modern family while capturing the feel of Tennessee’s early log homes. The Livingston Plan (page was selected, and the Oakleys’ choice of Honest Abe’s Genesis, square dovetailed logs created the traditional look they wanted. “Inez was exceptional; she is such a joy to work with,” Holly said. “Inez was always available to answer questions and help in any way she could. She is one of many sweet people we met through working with Honest Abe.” HonestAbe.com
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Honest Abe Living Sept.-Oct. 2016
Honest Abe’s design department modified the Livingston plan’s open first floor to create the historic cabin atmosphere the Oakleys had imagined. “A full wall was erected between the living room and dining room,” Holly said. “We added a pantry in the kitchen and moved the location of the refrigerator.” Other modifications to the Livingston plan included changing the study to a spacious laundry room and adding a second closet in the master bedroom.
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Honest Abe Living Sept.-Oct. 2016
Builder Mike Strong served as contractor for erection of the log cabin, which has a 1,400-square-foot-basement, a main floor with 1,400 square feet and a second story with 800 square-feet. “He was wonderful,” Holly said. “He did a great job, and we would highly recommend him.” Tim said that he and Holly tried to use “local folks” whenever possible throughout the building process. “Everyone we worked with was professional and far exceeded our expectations from our electricians to our brick mason,” Tim said.
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Honest Abe Living Sept.-Oct. 2016
Holly and Tim said that they committed to making thought-filled decisions during construction to ensure that their home had quality construction, materials and fixtures that would last and that the finished home would be affordable to operate and maintain. They used one coat of Perma-Chink dark natural stain to keep the interior wood protected but light, while the exterior has two coats of Perma-Chink Dark Natural Stain and a gloss finish. Many of the decisions made about the exterior of the 2,200 square-foot-home addressed the Oakleys’ goals. “We really liked the dovetail corners and thought the flat shape of the logs would hold up to the elements better,” Holly said, explaining that for extra protection they added an eight-footwide porch that completely wraps around the home. The Oakleys upgraded their log home package to include the optional Andersen windows, a decision Holly says was “definitely worth it.” “The Andersen windows help with energy efficiency,” Holly said. “We have a central heat and air unit, but we heat with a Woodmaster wood furnace, which also heats our hot water. Our energy bills are very affordable.”
The Oakley home is featured on the Honest Abe Open House Tour set for October 22. To register, click HERE. HonestAbe.com
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Honest Abe Living Sept.-Oct. 2016
They replaced a traditional front door with a heavy oak tri-unit that includes a center door with a thick beveled and frosted oval window and matching rectangular side panel windows. “We acted as our own GC to finish the cabin, which was very time consuming, but we price shopped and ordered a lot of things online, which saved us money and allowed us to pick out exactly what we wanted,” she said. “We tried to use products made in the USA as much as possible.” The Oakleys chose pre-finished hickory tongue and groove flooring in staggered widths, which they laid themselves. Tim pointed out that the job was not only labor intensive, it required looking at all the boards provided to determine an installation pattern that would not create excessively dark or light areas since the wood’s patterns and grains were visible through the natural finish. “The fact we did most of the finishing gave us a great sense of pride in our home,” Tim said. Finishing the home themselves offered another benefit far beyond the financial. “I helped make some decisions with the finishing,” Tanner said. “I helped with painting and also helped my Dad with finishing the cabin.” Tanner, who is homeschooled, said he learned how to drive nails and use a tape measure properly. He made all design and decorating choices for his room, and because he was included in trips to purchase supplies, he can competently discuss price differences in materials and why certain choices were made. “I also got to pick out everything in the upstairs bathroom,” Tanner said. He explained that he had a choice between traditional square tile or tile that looks like wood to use for flooring, so he choose the wood look. “It was only 99 cents a square foot, so I thought ‘why not’,” he said. HonestAbe.com
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Honest Abe Living Sept.-Oct. 2016
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Honest Abe Living Sept.-Oct.
He suggested the use of rocks for the interior of the showers in place of tile, and showers in both the master bath and the bath he shares with an older brother are covered in a special non-slip polished river stone made especially for use in the shower. His bowl-type sink was chosen because it looked like an intricate polished rock and is installed onto an antique washstand. Tanner was enlisted to help create the loft railing, which Tim and Holly fashioned from chicken wire, planks and Honest Abe ceiling beams. To simulate the aged look of barn wood, Tanner explained that they placed steel wool in glass jars with apple cider vinegar and used the resulting residue from the rusted wool to stain the rails. “I have always loved decorating with antiques, and a log home is perfect to showcase rustic antiques,” his mother said, adding that they found ideas on Pinterest, in magazines and other sources. Throughout the house the Oakleys have displayed their antiques and heirlooms, from antique quilts and jugs to farm tools to Tim’s collection of turkey beards that decorate a beam in the master bedroom. The restored oval, enamel bathtub standing in the master bath sat in a barnyard for decades holding feed for animals. Front porch steps are fashioned with rocks Tim and friends dismantled from the chimney of a house built by Holly’s great, great grandfather Alexander Ogletree and also occupied by her grandfather and father. “It is so neat to bring that piece of history to our log cabin,” Holly said. “That will be six generations, counting my children, of family that has enjoyed those old chimney rocks.” A framed portrait of the Livingston, Tennessee, home is exhibited in the Oakley’s hallway. Because of modifications made to the downstairs floor plan that moved the refrigerator out of the kitchen workspace on to a divider wall between the kitchen and dining room that replaced an island, the Oakleys’ kitchen had room for additional cabinetry. They worked with local cabinetmaker Jeff Reeder of C&R Cabinets on a custom design that incorporates corner cabinets with chicken-wire replacing the door panel, a white distressed finish and thick quartz countertops. A bay window provides natural light. No space was wasted around the refrigerator, which is surrounded by pantries. HonestAbe.com
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Honest Abe Living Sept.-Oct. 2016
Careful not to waste anything, The Oakleys found a purpose for leftover wooden ceiling planks from the Honest Abe home package. Tim fashioned the planks into shutters, which he attached to the inside of bedroom and bathroom windows. The shutters can be closed and hooked to keep out light or regulate temperature to an extent. Other pieces were made into closet doors, and everywhere there was an unused space, Tim created covered storage.
Instead of dead space usually created in the small landing at the top of the steps, Holly had craftsmen create a bookcase to hold family scrapbooks and photo albums. Holly has a hard time determining her favorite part of the new home. She loves her kitchen but confesses that the entire family enjoys the wrap-around porch. “The best part I think, about our cabin is it's uniqueness,” she said. “There is not another one that is exactly like ours because of all the freedom Honest Abe allowed us to customize our home to our own personal needs. Building our cabin has been a dream come true for our family.” Tanner said that he’s undecided about whether he’ll build a long home for himself when he grows up, wisely observing that it will all depend on where he ends up living, but for now, he’s enjoying the new home. “I am glad my Mom and Dad built an Honest Abe log cabin,” he said. “It takes a long time and a lot of hard work but in the end you have a great home.” HonestAbe.com
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Honest Abe Living Sept.-Oct. 2016
The Livingston Plan DECK
DW
BATH
STUDY
DINING AREA
KITCHEN F
Visitors on the Oct. 22 Honest Abe Open House Tour who stop by the Oakley home featured on pages 4-11 will see how easy it is to work with Honest Abe’s design team to modify one of the Legacy Collection log or timber frame house plans to meet the desires and needs of a homeowner. The Oakleys will how their guests how the opted for a wrap-around porch instead of a deck and how they created a laundry room from the designated office area. To create a more traditional log cabin feel to the first floor, they modified interior walls between the living, dining and kitchen areas.
PORCH LAV. BEDROOM LIVING ROOM
PORCH
Standard Livingston Plan Features
BATH BEDROOM
LOFT
2/8
BEDROOM
OPEN TO AREA BELOW
2,032 square feet 3 bedrooms 2.5 baths Formal Dining Room • Basement • Porch • Deck • • • •
Open House Registration HERE HonestAbe.com
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Honest Abe Living Sept.-Oct. 2016
Under Construction - Almost Home The Copper home, included on the Honest Abe Open House Tour on Oct. 22, is a house under construction. The award-winning Honest Abe Cambridge plan was modified to meet the Copper family’s needs and desires, including some premium upgrades like clad windows, a heavy timber roof system, an attached garage and exposed ceiling beams. Tour visitors will not only see a project by Honest Abe Construction Department, they will see how the Cambridge plan can be interpreted using square Genesis log construction and incorporating some sheetrock into interior walls. The Coppers expect to be home for Christmas!
More Log Homes to Tour Honest Abe maintains staffed model homes (pictured left) in four Tennessee communities.They’re all architecturally different, and they demonstrate how many options there are for designing the home you’ll want to live in forever. Click here for directions to our model homes, which are open daily from 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. Monday- Friday and on Saturday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. On the day of the Log Home Trail, each of the models will be open for picking up maps, touring and visiting with our sales professionals.
Visit the Historic Cordell Hull Birthplace Log Cabin Cordell Hull was born and raised near Byrdstown, Tenn. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate and eventually as Secretary of State in 1933 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Cordell Hull Birthplace State Park includes a representation of Hull’s log cabin birthplace, period gardens and the Cordell Hull Museum, which displays a variety of photographs and artifacts. Click here to to download a brochure and map, and take a moment to stop by the small park to tour the log cabin while in Tennessee for the Open House Tour. Hull was one of the many people who began their lives in a log cabin and went on to contribute positively to America’s history. HonestAbe.com
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Honest Abe Living Sept.-Oct. 2016
Learn how a dream becomes a home During the Tennessee Honest Abe Open House Tour the Keisling family will welcome guests to their new home. Developed by the Honest Abe Design Team, the custom plan mixes elements of Honest Abe’s Legacy Series Frontier and Darlington plan with the Keisling family’s needs and desires. Register for the October 22 tour and see how a dream became a home.
First Floor
Second Floor HonestAbe.com
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Honest Abe Living Sept.-Oct. 2016
Apple-Pecan Clafloutis 3/4 cup pecan pieces 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 cup whole milk 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 pounds firm, semi-sweet apples, like Fiji or Pink Lady 1 cup sugar 4 large eggs 1 tablespoon apple brandy Pinch of salt
1. Preheat the oven to 375. Pulse the pecans in a food processor until finely chopped; be careful not to process into a powder. Set aside. 2. Peel and core the apples. Slice the apples in half, then cut each half into 1/8-inch-thick half moons. 3. Heat a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat; add the butter. When melted, swirl to coat the bottom. Add the apples, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and the cinnamon and cook until the apples soften, about 10 minutes, stirring a few times. 3. While the apples cook, whisk the eggs, remaining 3/4 cup sugar, the milk, brandy, and vanilla together in a medium bowl. Whisk in the pecans and salt, then slowly whisk in the flour to avoid lumps. Pour the batter over the apples in the pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 375, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 and cook until the clafoutis is nicely puffed up and browned on top, another 35 minutes. Serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8
With 200 recipes curated from Lodge's network of chefs and fans, Cast Iron Nation boasts a diverse a r r a y o f re c i p e s , s t o r i e s a n d spectacular photography. Get it at www.lodgemfg.com. HonestAbe.com
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Honest Abe Living Sept.-Oct. 2016
e r a u o Y d e t i v n i y l l a cordi to the e b A t s e n o H r u o T e s u o H n e p O ! 2 Oct.2 e e r f r o f r e t Regis . e r e h s t e k c i t