Log Home Living – June 2019

62 |^ Best Log & Timber Floor Plans 2019

1

Functional Foyers. The idea of a

drop-zone has been in vogue for a

number of years now. But limiting

your home to a single area where

anything from your keys to your

gym bag lands is a no-no. Ideally, your

home should have several, with the most

important being your foyer. A closet is

essential at each of your log or timber

home’s entrances. Perhaps the front en-

try’s closet is reserved for guests, while a

second closet, near the garage, provides

coat storage for residents. Whether it’s

a formal entry or a family gateway, each

space should have warm, welcoming

lighting, built-in cabinetry and com-

fortable furnishings (think benches for

removing shoes or dropping handbags)

that are also beautiful. An entryway is an

architectural first impression you carry

throughout your home.

2

Kitchen Command Center. If you’re

planning a sizeable log or timber

home, a dedicated office may be in

your plans. But as any current home-

owner will tell you, the kitchen truly is

the heart of the home. That creed doesn’t

just apply to entertaining — it also refers to

daily life activities, like sorting mail or clip-

ping coupons; but these projects can clutter

your counters, killing your inner calm. A

kitchen command center, either in a corner

or an adjoining space, like a mudroom or

butler’s pantry, can supplement your office,

keeping life’s necessities close at hand while

stashing them out of sight.

3

Mudroom. Though the name con-

notes messiness, this space is truly

all about order. In fact, it may be the

most important room in the house,

since it can hold hooks for grocery

bags and purses, storage bins for umbrel-

las, cubbies for shoes and hats and a table

for magazines and mail. Kick the space up

a notch by incorporating a sink for rinsing

everything from gardening tools to paint

brushes. It often pulls double duty as a

laundry area, too.

4

Butler’s Pantry. We love the fact

that the butler’s pantry has made

a big comeback! Much more than

extra space to store dry goods

and kitchen appliances, this pass-

through between the kitchen and living

space also can serve as a staging area

for entertaining. Plus, as mentioned in

Tip #2, you could put a mini-office in this

area. The butler’s pantry makes so much

sense that some people opt for fewer

kitchen cabinets to make way for this

multifunctional space.

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