Jason's Log Furniture Reviews

As the calendar closes on 2011 and we open the book on a fresh new year, I always make it a practice to look back on the events of the past year.  I usually marvel over how much has changed in the previous twelve months.  A lot can happen in one year.  Our family, like many others, has faced some lows with deaths in the family but we also had a glorious high point with the birth of our second son.  There is so much to learn by hitting the rewind button on the year gone by and going through it frame by frame.  If you don’t already do that, I recommend making it a practice.

The New Year beckons to us with its undiscovered promises.  It is both thrilling and nerve-wracking to consider all of what is in store for us during the next twelve months.  Many of us take the opportunity every January 1^st to develop a list of goals that we intend to attain and call them our “New Year’s Resolution”.  I don’t know the number of resolutions that are made, but I am sure that the number of them that are broken or not realized to fruition is probably a very high percentage.

In the past, my resolutions have been generic in nature, probably so that I would have an easier time making them come true.  I won’t say that I see them through every single year, but I do feel that my life has significantly improved every one of the past few years.  I like to attribute those positive changes to the practice I make of reflecting every New Year’s Eve and working towards my resolutions every year.

This year I’m taking a little bit different approach.  I still have one generic resolution, large in scope, but I’ve also devised several smaller and more specific goals that I want to reach.  One of them is the design of my home office.  True, that is more of a project than a resolution, but once complete it will provide me with a fresh new perspective in my working environment.  I have decided that I want to include several inspirational signs on the walls for positive motivation.  The piece above, “Time Quote”, words from the legendary leader and innovator that we lost this past year, Steve Jobs, is perfect for bringing me back to a grounded place and providing me with hope and perspective on tough days in the office.  I’m hoping those inspirational words will also keep me on track for keeping this year’s resolution.

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Rustic Natural Cedar Deluxe Garden Double Glider, Model #805

What can be more enjoyable this time of year than the beauty of new spring blooms? After a long, bleak winter the bright and cheery colors of blossoms can bring quite a smile to our face. It’s a sure sign that summer is on its way and we can put the coats and sweaters away in the back corner of our closet, not to emerge until the autumn winds blow again.

Spring is a celebration. It’s like new life, every year. Baby animals are born, trees bud, grass greens, and flowers bloom. Like any celebration, we want to mark it with a party. A garden party is the perfect way to ring in the season. There is nothing like sharing a warm, sunny spring day in the midst of spring blooms with your best friends.

The Garden Double Glider by Cedar Looks is like a party in one package. With comfortable seating for four and a removable center table, it is perfect for a garden tea party. It even comes complete with a top canopy to shield you from the sun, if you so desire. Set in the midst your garden, with an arbor full of clematis blooms in the background and some planter boxes full of pansies nearby, along with a vase of freshly cut tulips on the center table, your friends will be completely impressed while they take in the scenery.

This spring, throw a garden party for your friends. Whether it’s to reminisce or to welcome the spring blooms in your flowerbed, there will be no better time spent with your loved ones. Think of how relaxing it will be, gliding away the day while chatting and sipping beverages. You will want to sit and celebrate until summer comes sliding in!

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Lakeland Mills Cedar Log Tete-A-Tete, Model # CF1119

Last year I acquired a Contoured Comfort Log Chair from JHE’s Log Furniture Place. I have been very pleased with it; from the moment it arrived at my door, it has been an easy-care chair. I unpacked it and found it fairly easy to assemble. Proud of my fully constructed chair, I set it in an honored position on our covered front porch. It had the corner all to itself, receiving a fair amount of afternoon sunshine, and I arranged some potted plants and a footstool around it.

This chair arrived without any finish on it, and I chose to leave it in its natural state. This year I want to add a mate for it. The only problem is my one-year-old chair, even though it has been somewhat sheltered under a roof and close to our house, has started the natural graying that is part of the cedar wood’s aging process. A bright shiny new chair would not look the same as my original one, given the difference in Mother Nature’s weathering effects.

However, I have discovered the fountain of youth for outdoor log furniture that has not had a finish applied to it. Make a solution of baking soda and water and soak the weathered chair down with it. Let that solution soak in for a few minutes, then use a power sprayer to wash the weathering right off the chair. Be careful not to take too much of the outer covering of the wood off, just enough to get rid of the gray. (If only it were that easy with human hair!)

Once the chair is dry, it should look much closer to what it appeared when it was brand new. You can choose to apply a finish or allow Mother Nature to take over and weather all of your pieces at the same rate. If you repeat this process a number of times, remember that the fountain of youth is a wonderful thing but you cannot cheat Mother Nature too many times before you compromise the integrity of the wood. In lieu of constant pressure washing, a good quality clear finish is the best way to protect your chair, swing, or bench and keep it looking brand new.

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Video: Contoured Comfort Log Lounge Chair

A few years ago, my husband and I purchased a nice pair of folding lawn chairs. The seating area of the chairs was composed of a padded mesh-type fabric, not the nylon webbing that dries out, fades, and breaks shortly after the chair is purchased. These chairs were comfortable and fit our patio perfectly. We even purchased a little matching table to go with them and hold our drinks or eats while we were sitting and relaxing.

Fast forward to present day and the mesh fabric is still holding strong. However, the plastic arm rests are not faring quite as well. The summer heat and winter cold have caught up with them, and they are chipping away at an alarming rate. As one might imagine, that is not a good thing. The chips are leaving sharp edges in their wake and I’m afraid that one of these days the arm rests are going to leave a nasty gash in the arm of either the person sitting in the chair or our small son who is pulling himself up on everything and using it as monkey bars.

My solution is simple. I want chairs that are comfortable and durable and safe. They have to stand up to two young children climbing up and down on them. I also want them to be attractive and welcoming. The chairs I will buy are the Contoured Comfort Log Lounge Chairs from JHE’s Log Furniture Place. I have already tried one out and the comfort of these chairs is far superior to that of the folding chairs that we have used for the past five years.

The only drawback is the Log Lounge Chair’s inability to fold for easy storage. I have found that I rarely fold up the chairs that do have that capability, so I’m not too concerned about it. However, if one were to need that feature, my recommendation is for the Contoured Comfort Log Leisure Chair. This model does not have arm rests but the seat and back separate for easy storage and transportation. The Leisure Chair also boasts a high comfort and durability factor.

The next time you go shopping for deck and patio chairs, consider how long you want your chairs to last and how safe you want them to be during their serviceable years. Log outdoor chairs are certainly more costly initially, but over time their price tag is equivalent to that of the folding chairs you find at your local lawn and garden superstore. Consider a log lawn chair solution for your deck or patio.

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Contoured Comfort Cedar Log Bridge, Model # CF2960

Springtime is just around the corner. That’s good news for most people. I remember growing up in the Midwest, and I was always ready for spring by the time February rolled around. Then, come March or April, the spring thaw welcomed us with warmer weather and tinges of green in the grass and trees. In rural areas, the thaw can bring with it bottomless gravel roads and water setting and running everywhere, trying to make its way to the creeks and rivers.

According to nursery rhymes and folklore, April showers bring May flowers. Just as the spring thaw is drawing to an end, the spring showers add to the onslaught of water that is making its way towards the ocean. Your yard, garden, and flower bed can be a soggy mess just as you are getting the itch to start preparing them for planting and summer’s bounty. For high problem areas, you can beat the water by adding structures that help you to step up and over the standing and running water. You might even consider encouraging the water to run in designated areas to help control watershed and dry your planting areas more quickly.

By adding a log bridge to your garden, you can walk over wet spots easily. Running water can be routed under the bridge, leaving your planting areas high and dry. To control runoff, build a creek bed under the bridge and then line it with waterproof liner and stones. This protects the soil against erosion. To avoid setting and running water altogether, plant your spring flowers in planter boxes or raised stands. Water will run right through them and leave the soil dry enough to plant. Spring water need not trouble your gardens and flowerbeds any longer.

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North Woods Jewelry Chest, Model # NWJC

I haven’t seen any statistics, but I’d be willing to bet that the top two gifts given to women for Valentine’s Day are flowers and jewelry. Don’t get me wrong, we women love those things. But flowers, unless they are a live plant, eventually die and another piece of jewelry means another bauble that we must find room to safely store.

Maybe this year you can give a gift that is a slight twist on the ordinary. Give her a means to organize all of the jewelry that you have given to her in the past…and make sure there is room for future gifting. If she is a fan of rustic log  furniture, she will absolutely love the North Woods Jewelry Chest. The hand-drawn pine logs of its exterior give it plenty of character and beauty, while inside it features many compartments for necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings. Many of the drawers and doors are lined with a soft felt that protects her valuables from scratching while they are stored. It even has a top compartment that opens up to reveal a mirror so she can admire her jewels as she’s wearing them.

This Valentine’s Day, go against the grain and give her a gift that she’ll truly appreciate for the rest of her life. Flowers are great. Jewelry is marvelous. But if her collection of gems is gathered into bags and heaps, she can’t fully appreciate them and it may damage fragile pieces. Believe me; she will be surprised and thrilled that you thought of a safe storage solution for her treasures! If you really want to go all-out, give her the jewelry chest with a shiny new piece inside and a bouquet of red roses on top. She would never forget such a flower-topped jewel of a gift.

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Groovy Stuff Teak Wood Garden Trough Planter, Model # TF-539

Across most of the Western hemisphere, the dark and cold days of winter are beginning to seem longer and longer. February can feel like a month that will never end. Even the most diehard snow lovers probably tire a bit of dealing with the fluffy white stuff towards the end of winter. Days spent inside, seeking shelter from the cold temperatures and bitter wind, bring on a slight case of cabin fever. We ache to see the green buds and warm days of spring come around again.

There are ways to dispel the darkness of long winter days. Fresh flowers can add brightness to any dreary day. Buy some cut flowers at your local market (preferably a type that will last awhile), arrange them into a nice bouquet, and place them on your dining room table or kitchen island as a cheery centerpiece. Bring one of your planter boxes or plant stands inside and position some bright live greenery in it, then place the ensemble in a high traffic and light area so your fragile spring visitors can thrive and be enjoyed by all who pass by.

For those who want a bit more challenging project, create an indoor goldfish habitat. Start with a pot that contains a large, open bowl as its interior. The Groovy Stuff Teak Wood Farmers Bucket would be a great choice for this project. Next, visit your local hardware or pet store and find a liner that will fit inside your fish pot. When installing the liner, be sure there are no holes or tears in the portion where water will be held. Purchase a small pump to place in the pot. This will aerate the water for your fish. Set the pump in the bottom of the pot, then place some aquarium gravel around it so that it stays in place. Fill the pot about 2/3 full of water, turn the pump on, and make any needed adjustments to its flow or to water level. Then, shop for a nice colorful little goldfish or two and introduce them to their new home. Be sure to feed them and provide them with some water plants for hiding places. Place the pot in a corner of the house where the burbling sound will provide a Zen-like feel and you can sit in a cozy log chair to admire the fish swimming in its midst.

Any of the three projects above can help you and your family cast away the darkness of winter and bring about the excitement of spring fever. From something as simple as a cut flower bouquet to a goldfish pot cheerily burbling away in a corner of your home, the smiles you get from admirers of your effort will be all you need to brighten your winter day. At least it will be a subtle distraction until the calendar reaches April and spring fever strikes with full force.

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Queen Barnwood Bedroom Package, Model # BFS-TMBRBS

Decorating a home can be a daunting task. To start with a blank room and add furniture, artwork, and accessories takes vision. A knack for that sort of thing certainly doesn’t hurt either. Some homeowners cherish the challenge and jump right in with both feet, using their imagination and images from their idea file to guide them along. Others hire decorators to do the design work for them, preferring to have a blueprint and plan in place before they do the shopping.

During the design process, you may find that you want certain pieces of furniture in a room but what you can find in available pre-made pieces are not quite the right size to fit correctly. That is not a sign to give up hope; it is a suggestion to shop more carefully. Custom made furniture is not a problem if you work with a furniture manufacturer that can custom build according to your specifications.

Many of the log and barnwood furniture items at JHE’s Log Furniture Place can be custom made to fit your home and your specs. If you find an item you love and want to incorporate into your décor, but its dimensions just won’t fit your room, give the friendly staff at JHE’s a call to discuss customization. It may come with a slight upcharge, but the ability to add pieces you love that fit perfectly where you want them is priceless. Not to mention, it makes the process of decorating your home a little less challenging. Who doesn’t want to make life easier? If only we could customize a little more of our lives!

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North Woods Log Poker & Dining Table, Model # NWPKR

Who doesn’t love a fun little dinner party with friends and family? A gathering to enjoy food, drink, and camaraderie can really warm up a winter evening or cool down a hot summer night. The party doesn’t even have to be large; another couple or two is the perfect size for fitting around your dinner table and for plenty of laughs and conversation.

But after dinner is over, the table is cleared, and the dishes are stashed away in the dishwasher, what is next on the agenda? It’s likely too early at that point to call it a night. Wouldn’t it be perfect if you could transform that same dinner table into an entertainment center, the centerpiece for friends and family game night? With the North Woods Log Poker Table or the Texas Holdem Table, that is exactly what you can do. Dinner party and poker game, all at the same table! No one even has to leave their seat…except to clean up after dinner, that is.

The Log Poker & Dining Table is an octagonal shape that has stations for up to eight poker players. You may not want to crowd that many in for dinner, though. Folks don’t take too kindly to having to throw elbows and fight for table space when they’re cutting into their steak dinner. However, all bets are off later when a rousing game of poker takes your guests late into the night, perhaps even the wee hours of the morning.

If you wish to host slightly larger dinner parties, you should instead consider the North Woods Texas Holdem Table. Not only does its rectangular shape hold more guests comfortably with both knife and fork and hand of poker cards, but its cedar top lends an aromatic and unique character to your dinner and game party. Perhaps the scent of cedar will even work to soothe the savage beasts that can emerge after a hand or two of Texas Holdem.

No longer does your dinner party have to suffer from the after-dessert blues. With a two-sided log dinner and game table from JHE’s Log Furniture Place, it’s easy to plan an entire night of entertainment. Just tell your guests to enjoy dinner and then you’ll catch ‘em on the flip side!

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Aspen Lodge Log Bunk Pet Bed, Model #SIG-BPBED

For many of us, our pets are as much a part of our household as the human inhabitants are. Some lucky pets are as loved and spoiled as children. We see images on television commercials of cats being treated to a dinner at the table, complete with fine china. I have friends who have upgraded the size of their bed in order to accommodate their canine and feline sleeping companions.

Buying a larger bed is not always the only answer. You can buy Fido his own log bed, a miniature version of your own rustic resting place. The Aspen Lodge Log Pet Bed is a scaled-down replica of the human-sized Aspen Mountain Snowload II Bed. You can even purchase a matching Aspen Lodge feeding bench for Fido to enjoy his bedtime meal. The Montana Glacier Country Rustic Log Pet Bed is a carbon copy of your Montana Classic Spindle Log Bed and also comes with a matching feeding bench. If the Cedar Lake collection is more your style, you can enjoy the completely grown up Log Canopy Bed while Fido chills out in his Log Dog Bed.

If Fido and Fluffy the cat both like to jockey for sleeping position on your log beds, together they can sleep comfortably closely beside you in the unique Aspen Lodge Pet Bunk Bed. The only arguing between cat and dog is who gets to climb the ladder and sleep in the top bunk. Your kids can even sleep with their best friends. Think of how cute their room will be with their Aspen Lodge Twin Over Twin Bunk Bed paired beside its miniature version. Everyone is happy with their own sleeping accommodations…even Fido and Fluffy!

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