10 tips for choosing the perfect garden log cabin
Recently, there is a great new trend in garden design, and it is spreading like wildfire. People are choosing to build miniature log cabins in their yards as a secondary home. It’s cute, functional, and a great addition that adds value to your home (and gives you a little escape in the middle of your yard).
If you’ve been considering building or transplanting a log cabin for your backyard, here are ten tips for choosing the perfect one and loving the results.
1 – Consider your purpose – Why do you want a log cabin in your yard? This question is more important than you think, because it’s what will give you the best ideas for moving forward. For example, if you want something that looks more like a gazebo only with more protection, you would create a more open looking cab with, say, large windows and doors. But if you want something more like a Hobbit hole, you should know that before you start your designs.
2 – Go with a guest cabin – One of the best ways to design a more functional log cabin is to turn it into an actual residence. Guest cabins are a great idea because they establish a secondary home for people to stay in and add great value to your home. You may think you need a large amount of property for this, such as an expansive property or many acres of land. But that’s not true; more people are building guest cabins in their gardens right next to their main house.
3 – Diversify your surrounding plants – This is more for the aesthetics of the cabin, and has more to do with the garden than with the house itself. Sometimes people do not take into account the appearance of the garden and how it fits into the design of the cottage. Or they don’t realize that the home’s simple, rustic appearance will mean countering it with diverse plant life. Try and be more creative in your choices, or it will all look very bland. And on the other hand, when you select the design of your cabin, keep in mind how it will look in the garden.
4 – Look for ecological options – There has long been a (incorrect) belief that log cabins are less eco-friendly than other forms of housing. Once upon a time that might have been true, given the use of wood and some of the chemicals used to treat it. That has not been the case for decades. Responsibly harvested or even recycled wood is available. You can find many stains and sealers that are safe for the environment. It’s not hard to stay green when building your cabin, if you just shop around before you make your final purchases.
5- Treat it like your home – The wooden cabins require maintenance, so you have to take it into account from the beginning. That said, if you treat it like you would your primary home, you’ll have a much easier time keeping up with required tasks on the fly, before problems arise. Have it inspected once a year. Preserve and reseal every few years. Treat for pests. If you have your own electrical and plumbing, make sure they are properly tested regularly to prevent short circuits or broken pipes.
6 – Be careful who you hire – There are contractors who can provide a log cabin building service, or can transplant a ready-made one, an easy option since garden cabins tend to be small and easy to transport and set up. But this is a major purchase, and it’s not one you should rush into. The wrong contractor can turn the process into a logistical, not to mention financial and even legal nightmare. Do your due diligence when looking for vendors, whether they are building or have already built the structure. Find out what other customers have said and look at their BBB rating and license/insurance information. Watch out for red flags.
7 – Think in terms of future use – A friend of mine and her husband chose to build a log cabin in their garden. But when they did, they had no intention of using it for more than the occasional summer party. Instead, they focused on what uses there might be in the future. They have a daughter who is currently 14 years old. As she gets older, she will want more privacy and independence. But it pays to stay home during college (like avoiding the costs of a dorm room or off-campus housing). They built her cabin so they could offer her a house to live in in the future.
8 – Turn it into an escape corner – Another way you can view your garden shed is as a fun little escape corner. That will inform the dimensions of the cabin itself, as well as any interior features it could implement. Consider a cabin, for example, that has a built-in bookcase on the wall and a reading bench by the window. Or a cabana with entertainment center and bar. It’s a home away from home so design it that way.
9 – Bring the garden inside – One of my favorite examples of garden sheds I’ve seen was one that made it part of a greenhouse. Thus, he was able to maintain a garden year-round, even when everything died outside. In winter, you can walk around the cottage and see the flowers and plants, smell their sweetness and get a little taste of spring even in a snowstorm.
10 – Consider your log cabin for the garden as an investment – Ultimately, you are investing in a major renovation that will improve the overall value and function of your property. So when you’re designing your cabin, keep that in mind, especially when it comes to price. You could go the cheap route and have something you love, or invest completely and have something perfect.
