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What is Log Furniture?

Paulla Estes
Paulla Estes
Paulla Estes
Paulla Estes

Log furniture is reminiscent of times past. When we see a cabin or cottage decorated with log furniture, it conjures up images of hunting for our food and relaxing without the lure of television or other technology, and it gives a sense of warmth and comfort.

Log furniture was first created out of necessity. In early America, when settlers were moving west across the country with few tools, they made do with what they had and made log furniture, instead of the more refined furniture of Europe. Settlers were battling the elements and they did not have the time or inclination to make more elegant or refined furniture. Plus, the log furniture was sturdy and practical.

Woman with a flower
Woman with a flower

The log furniture originally built out of necessity later became popular in larger cities in America, where it gave people a sense of ruggedness or being in the country. Today, log furniture can be found nearly everywhere, but it is most popular in mountain resort areas such as ski lodges, cabins, or rustic condominiums.

Log furniture can be any type of furniture made of wood, with the rounded look of the original log; many pieces still have the bark from the tree on them. Log furniture has also come to describe any type of hand made furniture, such as the Adirondack style of twigs and roots twisted together. Much of the log furniture for sale today is not made from real wood, but rather from processed wood or even plastic. These pieces have their pros and cons: they often look like real log furniture and they are usually not as heavy, yet they are also not as sturdy.

Any room in the house can be decorated with log furniture. A living room might have a log sofa and coffee table, or simply a few log furniture accessories, such as a log lamp stand or telephone table, for accents. Bedrooms are exceptionally cozy with one giant log bed and few other pieces of furniture in the room.

But don't stop there: log furniture can cover children's rooms, the dining room and kitchen, and even the office. An outdoor patio or deck, or a screened-in porch, can be especially cozy when decorated with log furniture. With log furniture, even if you live in the city, you will feel as though the mountains are all around you.

Paulla Estes
Paulla Estes

Paulla is a freelance writer and website editor who currently lives in Maine. Paulla has a B.A. in English Literature from George Mason University and over 15 years of experience as a freelancer. She relishes the flexibility and consistency of working on WiseGEEK articles, as well as the opportunity to constantly learn something new.

Learn more...
Paulla Estes
Paulla Estes

Paulla is a freelance writer and website editor who currently lives in Maine. Paulla has a B.A. in English Literature from George Mason University and over 15 years of experience as a freelancer. She relishes the flexibility and consistency of working on WiseGEEK articles, as well as the opportunity to constantly learn something new.

Learn more...

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