Log Cabin

Attention to architectural detail is the key to a great design. Staying within the lines creates a harmonious balance of style and function. When executed correctly, a great design will become candy to your mind. You will fall in love with the space but not know why.

This client wanted to cross the line in a bold way by blending one of the hardest lines of architecture. They wanted a modern outdoor living space designed around a log cabin home. How does that even work? Who even thinks of this stuff?

They made several calls to other companies. Some companies never called back, and a few didn’t even show up for the set appointment. The one or two that finally arrived did not understand the level of architecture requested.

After some online research, they stumbled upon calling us.

During the initial meeting, I was thinking in the back of my head, “this can’t be real. How in the world are we going to do that?” but the more I thought, the more I wanted to take on the challenge.

The inside was undergoing a modern renovation with a gray and brown look. They wanted the entire space to have an ultra-modern feel mixed with the old-world look of a log cabin complemented by a wooded lot.

After taking on the job, we went directly to the web to research “modern log cabin outdoor living space.” Searching on the computer for almost an hour, there was not much reference to the modern log cabin online. It’s just not a thing.

The client wanted all gray colors. We agreed and selected a variation of gray-colored materials to give the space some contrast to the wooded lot’s natural environment. Whatever we did would stand out because the yard is surrounded by trees around the log cabin home.

We based the entire outdoor space on a Unilock wall called Rivercrest. The Rivercrest allowed us to create a natural stone wall for less than half the price of natural stone. We created a covered space with a ceiling fan, speakers, and lights to chill outside when the weather is not so great.

We used a mix of concrete and Mexican pebbles to create transitions and pathways. Using the same material on everything can become tedious, so mixing materials really help those areas stand out. We placed several pathways throughout the entire design to separate each outdoor room.

The wood-burning firepit is a custom 48″ metal pan. The fire pit area is a 28″ deep by 20″ high bench wall for the ultimate relaxation. The retaining walls on the back of the fire pit were built into the berm, creating a unique depth to the design. It allowed us to add more seating and create spaces for planting and landscape lights.

The water feature was sort of an accident. It was not a part of the original design. One of the reasons this project was spaced out in the yard was the septic system. We had to create this space around the underground tanks and access doors. The pavilion’s main walkway to the patio was supposed to be straight out. Since we had to jog around one of the underground tanks, we added a water feature in the corner to give it more flare and create another space to hang out.

This project is all about relaxation and fun. It has a hot tub, fire pit area, and an open yard for volleyball games and other sports. We also added power outlets in the rear of the yard and power outlets on every wall for cellphone charging and other powered items. You can never have too many outlets.

This is real outdoor living with a twist. Crossing the lines of style is not easy, making it all blend in as if the new outdoor living space was there forever.