A Tennessee couple keeps the family tradition alive
hen you grow up in a lo_u home, as Shane Smith did it is just natural that someday you r,r,ould want a log hon.re of your orvn. And rvhen your father ovvns a log-honre colxpan)/ and you are the chiefopelations officel overseeing three sar,r,rlills and a hardu,ood cornpany. providing you with access to some ol the finest htmbel Tennessee can plodnce, then vou're in tlrc per'fect position to cat't'y on a fanily traditior.
"I was raised on out farnily farm," Shane says. 'After Lesley and I w.ere rnarlied, rve rloved into nry grandparents' horle. With two srnall chiidren and a third on the rvay, we just stafted to out grow the house and knerv it was tir.ne for us to move ahead with oul plans."
The thousand-acre homestead is located in north central Tennessee, near the town of Red
Boiling Splings. For' -eenelations, the Snriths have laised beef cattlc. Clydesdale horses ancl hay. Shane and Lesley selected a piece of tl.re property on a small bill arnoug the lusb pastr.u'es with a fishing pond near:by, to build their home.
Naturally, the1, ch.t. Shane\ father's company. .Honest Abe Log Homes. to provide the log package for their' 3.416-squale-fbot honre. They selected the corlpanr,'s nilled D-style log to give theur thc round exterior that they admiled as ri,ell as flat intedor ivalis that Shane feels ale easier to trim out fol u,irrdou,s and fixtures. The Smith's rnodified Honest Abe's Westpolt floor plan. "We added r.i,hat ue r.vanted and dt'eamed r-rp ,uvhat rve liked as r,i e went a1ong." Shane says.
"This horne is rurique in its rrany offsets and
gables," says Randy Fudge, vice-president of Honest Abe Log Homes. "For example, the wings on either side of the center core step back and then the gables in these wings step out."
Although Shane had experience with log-home construction, he opted to turn the project over to Ricky Hatcher, a labor sefvices subcontractor for HonestAbe for more than 12 years. By relying on Ricky and other subcontractors, the company provides dry-in construction for homes built within a 200-mile radius of the company's headquarters in Moss, Tennessee.
The right wing of the main level houses the couple's master bedroom, which features two walk-in closets and a full bath. Next to the master suite is the children's bedroom, furnished with bunk beds, and a bathroom across the hall. The central core contains the main living ardas and kitchen. A utility room-pantry leads to a toy room and half-bath on one side and a two-car garage on the other. "Garages in log homes are usually stick built with log siding," Randy points out. "Shane is a wood guy and went for full-log consffuction, even in the garage."
Two additional bedrooms are on the upper level flanking the loft sitting area that opens to the upper decks. The full, walkout basement extends under the entire house, with the exception of the main level garage. It is constructed of insulated concrete forms for maximum heat retention. The Smiths also added a
ABOVEI The Smiths selected cherry wood cabinets and Corian countertops from Lowets for theil new kitchen. The cherry hardwood floors were manufactured at GF Hardwoods in Moss, Tennessee, where Shane serves as the chief operations officer. RIGHT: Ricky Hatcher finished the interior with painted drywall atop cherry vertical tongue-andgroove wainscoting. Gountry Gorner supplied the countryside prints and striped window treatment for the patio doors. The cherry dining room set is from DT McGalls.small layer of insulation under the concrete to keep the room even wafiner, then finished the space to include a tool room, recreation room' additional toy room and storage room. A second gare,ge area is used for all-terrain vehicles and other big-boy toys.
"We screwed interior log siding onto the concrete walls in the basement," Shane explains. "This extends the appearance of the log home in this level. We also put in a drop ceiling to hide the wires and plumbing and to make it look more like the main level than a basement."
True to his love of wood, Shane opted to have the interior walls finished with cherry wainscoting topped with dr1'wall. All of the floors, even in the kitchen and bathrooms, are cherry, with area rugs used as decorating accents.
With an abundance of firewood available on their property, the Smiths installed an outdoor wood-burning boiler that essentially heats the entire house, even in the coldest part of winter. Shane explains that the fire warms water that is then pumped into the house and into a system that blows hot air. As a backup, they rely on an electric heat pump and central air-conditioning unit. A wood-burning fireplace in the living room and a wood box stove in the basement augment the central system'
"We hadn't originally planned a fireplace for the living room, but once we moved in, we decided we wanted one," Shane says. "Lightweight cul-
ABOVE: The master bedroom features cherry tongue-and-groove floor and ceiling. Adding the gable in the front of the home creates a cozy alcove' The four-post bed and dresser suite are by Lillian Russell. RIGHT: French doors separate the bedroom and bath in the master suite with its cherry enclosed garden tub.tured river rock was the perfect answer as it didn't require extra reinforcement of the main level floor."
When Lesley isn't occupied with her parftime position at the University ofTennessee extension office, where she utilizes her bachelor's degree in home economics to oversee parent and nutrition-education programs and homemakers' clubs, she might be in the couple's kitchen preparing meals for their growing family. She and Shane purchased all new appliances for the home, including a Frigidaire refrigerator, Jem-Air range-oven combination and Maytag dishwasher.
Marilyn Boone and Teresa Watson at Country Corner in Celina, Tennessee, helped the Smiths decorate their new home. The pair fashioned the window treatments and furniture covers and recommended wall art. "Our family is very laid back," Lesley notes. "We don't like any sort of dressy, uptightness in our home. We selected a country decorating theme with lots of plaids and stripes."
Several pieces of antique furniture are interspersed with new items. Shane acquired an antique school desk as a gift for Lesley that she placed in the loft, along with an antique sewing machine, heritage china and a quilt that he mother made.
Stacy Turner, a parlner in Larry Martin's Nursery in McMinnville, Tennessee, planted trees, shrubs, rose bushes and flowers to enhance the natural pastures found adjacent to the home. Shane added the grass lawns.
"We love living both in this area and in our log house,,' Shane says. "It's relaxing and peaceful. We have splurged a bit and built it a little bigger than we need at the moment, but we did that so we wouldn't have to add on later. We're happy content. We wouldn't change a thing. It's home."
Log Producer:
Honest Abe Log Homes Inc., 3855 Clay County Hwy., Moss TN 38575, (800) 231-3695. Website: www.honestabe.com.
