Have a log cabin that you want to furnish? You can keep the interior rustic with a ‘homey’ feel without needing to purchase your furnishings from a high-end store. Likewise, you are not required to be a carpenter in order to fill up the interior with quaint seating and tables to entertain guests. In fact, using a DIY approach can help you to create every single piece of furniture in your new home away from home. So, pay attention to the steps, pull out your measuring tape, and be prepared to work your fingers to the bone. This is the DIY way to furnish a log cabin.
Sketch it Out
Check the dimensions and get a few pieces of graph paper. You are going to need to sketch the layout of your log cabin so that you can decide what furnishings you want. Make sure that you include the windows and doors and leave room for manoeuvring. Since you will be making the majority of your furniture instead of buying it, you can’t return any items that don’t fit properly. So, remember the rule; measure twice and cut once. Make conceptual drawings of the furnishings you want to create and then try to imagine what they will look and feel like in your log cabin. There are even computer programs that can be used by novices to help make 3D representations of interior spaces. Use the tools that you have available to make conceptual sketches and drawings prior to starting any DIY project.
Creating a Motif
Do you love plaids and the whole shabby chic trend? What about patchwork quilts and needlepoint? A lot of the accents that you would normally find in log cabins can be picked up in vintage stores. On the other hand, you probably already have exactly what is needed to put together a motif in your home. Old buttons can be glued on a bit of corkboard to create quirky wall art. Even old house paint can be mixed together to create new colors to paint accent walls. Pull out those old mason jars, clean out those wooden crates, and gather all of your wool – there is a DIY project waiting for you to begin.
Considering Your Surroundings
Depending on the surroundings outside of your log cabin, you might want to bring some of the outdoors inside. Is it set next to a pond? Placed beside a colourful garden where inspects buzz and butterflies fly? Alternatively, log cabins in settings that are not colourfulor tranquil might benefit from more creative interiors. Remember that your log cabin can look however you want inside. So, if you prefer a contemporary look with a minimalist flair, go ahead and decorate it how you prefer.
Use What You Already Have
There is likely no shortage of items that you have inside your home, garage, at the office, or even at your parents’ house that can be used for DIY purposes. Instead of throwing out the old couch that is just taking up space in your basement, reupholster it and place it inside of your log cabin. If you don’t already own a log cabin but are interested in purchasing one and designing it yourself, 1st Choice Leisure Buildings offer many styles, shapes, and varieties of log cabins for people of all walks of life. Be sure to go through their entire collection to find the log cabin of your dreams. That way, you can be certain that all of your DIY creations will find a happy home.
Making Simple Furnishings Sophisticated
When using a DIY approach, remember that simple is better. On the other hand, simpledoesn’t mean drab or uninspired. For instance, you can take some unfinished wood chairs, and paint them to match the inside of your log cabin. Make some seat cushions out of old jeans or sweaters that you were going to give away and you will have a colourfulset of chairs to use for dining or entertainment purposes. Old utensils can be bent and soldered to create AvantGarde chandeliers. Take an old footstool and make it more elegant by utilizing stencils and a woodburning kit. Rather than accepting the furnishings that you have at face value, look at them until you find a way to make them just a little more elegant.
DIY Accents and Accessories
A room that is fully furnished still isn’t complete unless there are accessories and accents present. This does not mean that you have to go crazy and put throw pillows everywhere, but you do want to consider what makes a home really comfortable. What makes a home feel like home? Is it the soft rug that you rub your aching feet on at the end of a day? Is it your special mug that you made at a pottery class? Is it that fuzzy throw blanket that you keep on the back of the couch and wrap yourself with on old nights? So, knit a new blanket, crochet a rug, and pull out your pottery wheel. There are a lot of quaint accessories that your log cabin is missing.
Making the Decor Fit
Furnishings that fit the interior of a log cabin don’t have to be matching but they do have to fit. If you have a lot of rattan furniture in your home then you might want to keep all of the accessories on the natural, light, and ethereal side. However, some people like to use whatever it is that they can find. If you just put found objects inside, then it might take longer for you to put together a concrete style. Make the interior fit your style, your purpose and, of course, the rest of the surroundings. Whether you want to create the 70s or you have an obsession with western films, you can use a DIY approach to make the interior of your log cabin a masterpiece. The decorations can fit perfectly if you try.
Utilising Found Objects
On the topic of found objects; whatever that you come across that isn’t nailed down is fair game. In short, anything is possible when using found objects to create masterpieces. You might find something nice to repurpose. At work, you might have co-workers offer to give you their old dining room set or other furnishings that they no longer need. If you are really into repurposing found items, you may even regularly drive around the neighbourhood, checking skips. Just try not to let your interest in found objects lead to a junky home.
You don’t need to purchase a single item to go inside of a beautiful and serene log cabin. You can slowly build your own furnishings over time or you can spend a weekend getting everything together. As long as you aren’t too picky, you can have a log cabin that is very comfortable when you are done. Make your own bean bag chairs, create blankets using old pillows and coats. Take an existing table, cut the legs down and you will even have a coffee table for your log cabin. The best thing about taking on these DIY projects is that visitors will marvel at your handiwork. In some cases, they will even wonder what furniture store you shopped at.