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Log Cabin Getaway
Macon Magazine May 1998 Story by Cindy Sams, Photography by Ken Krakow |
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his own admission, there were primitive longings in the owner's leftover boyhood soul. But the avid sportsman thought he'd tamed his
hankering for the wilderness - or at least provided a place for his son to
hunt - when he purchased 102 acres in Monroe County about two years
ago. "Then I went crazy and built this place," he
said. "This place" is a humble description of Stone Oak
Farms, once the family's log cabin getaway.
Located literally off the beaten path - down a long, winding country road - the 1,400 square foot cabin satisfied his pioneer spirit and provided a quiet place to relax alone or entertain a crowd. "I wanted a place away from the traffic," the owner said of the hideaway "When you get up here, you've got all the modern conveniences, but you can't hear a car." Above: A roaring fire in the living room warms the cabin where the owners retreat for quiet and solitude. |
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| Indeed, the weekend retreat boasts a pleasing mixture of
postmodern practicality and timeless rusticity. Manufactured in Dandridge, TN and
assembled on site by Hearthstone Log Homes, the cabin was finished by
Tommy Gibson Builders. Outside, a jaunty red tin roof
beckons visitors off the country trail and into the meadow for a closer
look. Near the front door, a stuffed coyote stands sentinel on the
rocking chair front porch. Indoors, much of the two-bedroom,
two-bath cabin's pastoral charm comes from its knotty pine
interior walls and ceiling, heart pine floors, and hand-laid stone
fireplace.
High tech features are present, but don't compromise the cabin's agrarian appeal. Central heating and air conditioning? Yes. A telephone? Certainly. There's even a satellite dish for the Fall football games. But don't look for such contemporary amenities as sheet rock here. Rather, log walls with chinking compliment the home's woodsy atmosphere. Construction details aside, what makes the cabin so appealing are the primitive decorating touches they chose for their getaway home. They particularly enjoyed decorating the house, whose open floor plan belies its1,400 square foot size. |
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In keeping with the cabin's woodland
setting, the interior furnishings are simple. In the dining room,
family and friends cozy up to a wooden table with bench seats during
meals. Overhead light in the dining room comes from a wagon-wheel
chandelier similar to the one hanging over the wooden staircase. As
a whimsical touch, they chose bullhead-shaped pulls for the
kitchen cabinets. The fully equipped kitchen includes a stove,
refrigerator, dishwasher, and microwave. |
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Simple bunk beds dressed
in |
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Upstairs, a cozy master bedroom and adjacent sleeping loft can accommodate several overnight guests. All of the beds in the cabin, including bunk beds in the loft and twin beds in the downstairs bedroom, were made to match by a furniture crafter in Atlanta. Intentionally left bare were the cabin's windows to further the sense of spaciousness. A cathedral ceiling and dormer window in the living room lend a similar effect. "I wanted to keep (the decor) simple," she said. "There's a fine line and I didn't want to make it country." . . . The owner grew up in Macon, but began his love of the outdoors while visiting family in Adrian, Georgia, a country town about 30 miles east of Dublin. Now, walking the creek behind his own weekend home reminds him of the North Georgia woods, and offers a quiet respite from the hectic, everyday world. "I've always had a love for this primitive look," he said. "There's a little Abe Lincoln in me." |
