tag:blogs.scrippsnetworks.com,2008:/diy/blogcabin//60 2008-05-13T17:43:25Z You design it. DIY builds it. You could win it. Movable Type 3.33 tag:blogs.scrippsnetworks.com,2008:/diy/blogcabin//60.2805 2008-05-03T18:54:01Z 2008-05-13T17:43:25Z

Hello Trusty Blogcabinites, In the spirit of Blog Cabin 2007's naming contest (remember the Rocky Top Retreat?), we are now accepting suggestions for the "official" name of Blog Cabin 2008. Please comment below with your entries and feel free to...

Watson Hawkins http://blogs.diynetwork.com/diy/greenhomeguide/ Rocky Top Retreat?), we are now accepting suggestions for the "official" name of Blog Cabin 2008. Please comment below with your entries and feel free to include a short explanation of why you think your suggestion should be selected (not required however - sometimes the names speak for themselves). We'll take nominations through May 18th, then choose the Top 5 and open up the voting beginning Monday, May 19 through the 31st. Cheers, Watson, DIYnetwork.com Manager Editor's Note: Our friends at Lakefront Estates have a special announcement they'd like to share concerning their Grand Opening (this link opens a PDF file)! ]]> tag:blogs.scrippsnetworks.com,2008:/diy/blogcabin//60.2774 2008-04-28T04:56:54Z 2008-04-28T19:03:49Z

I just read a bloggers request to have Watson and myself send out an email to you all when we answer your particular comment or question because it takes so long to scroll through all the blogs. I don't know...

Ahmed Hassan http://blogs.scrippsnetworks.com/diy/blogcabin/ I just read a bloggers request to have Watson and myself send out an email to you all when we answer your particular comment or question because it takes so long to scroll through all the blogs. I don't know if Watson or I ever discussed this with you , but we'll always put our comments in bold when we respond. This way the text will stand out as you scroll through and you can see what the communication is on this or that. Also keep in mind that there are thousands of you and just the 2 of us. Between shooting shows, taking classes, raising 3 kids with my wife, and flying back and forth across the United States I'm doing the best I can to stay connected with you all concerning everything Blog. Best, Ahmed tag:blogs.scrippsnetworks.com,2008:/diy/blogcabin//60.2756 2008-04-21T17:06:40Z 2008-04-22T19:49:38Z

Hello Wonderful Bloggers, Site Manager's Note: Unfortunately, due to a scheduling concern, we've been forced to take the Paint Palette voting choice off the site for now. Please look for it again in a few weeks. Rest assured that all...

Watson Hawkins http://blogs.diynetwork.com/diy/greenhomeguide/ Site Manager's Note: Unfortunately, due to a scheduling concern, we've been forced to take the Paint Palette voting choice off the site for now. Please look for it again in a few weeks. Rest assured that all votes are recorded and the tabulations will resume where they left off. Sincere apologies for any confusion. Best, Watson, DIYnetwork.com Manager ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Only three voting choices for you this round, but choosing the paint palette is arguably one of the most critical decorating/design decisions you will make. Sherwin-Williams has you covered with some great palettes (I agonized over this one personally). Also up for a vote is the dining room chandelier and the style of walk-in closet for the master bedroom. And don't miss the latest 3-D renderings of Blog Cabin 2008 - check out that back patio - WOW! Choose wisely and happy blogging! Your humble servant, Watson, DIYnetwork.com Manager]]> tag:blogs.scrippsnetworks.com,2008:/diy/blogcabin//60.2732 2008-04-15T07:12:16Z 2008-04-15T15:16:49Z

I told Watson that lately I've turned into a blog meister. He agrees! I have been cheerfully inundated with your questions and concerns about everything from "what that small tree is on the left close to the house," to sending...

Ahmed Hassan http://blogs.scrippsnetworks.com/diy/blogcabin/ blog meister. He agrees! I have been cheerfully inundated with your questions and concerns about everything from "what that small tree is on the left close to the house," to sending me much appreciated information on solar lights that might actually please even the skeptics. All I want to know is, when do you folks sleep? Burning the midnight oil, Ahmed]]> tag:blogs.scrippsnetworks.com,2008:/diy/blogcabin//60.2714 2008-04-10T23:30:13Z 2008-04-18T21:14:34Z

Crying the computer blues... I have no problems reading all of your blogs and comments but have been having plenty of trouble getting my own comments and replies back to you. Thanks to plenty of phone calls and emails to...

Ahmed Hassan http://blogs.scrippsnetworks.com/diy/blogcabin/ Crying the computer blues... I have no problems reading all of your blogs and comments but have been having plenty of trouble getting my own comments and replies back to you. Thanks to plenty of phone calls and emails to Watson, things are sort of looking up (I think!). This whole "sitting for hours on-line" thing is new and sometimes painful for me. I love all the information but am slow with bouncing around, chatting back and forth, researching different products etc. I much prefer working outside with my hands. Still trying, Ahmed Hassan]]> tag:blogs.scrippsnetworks.com,2008:/diy/blogcabin//60.2699 2008-04-07T17:44:41Z 2008-04-07T17:55:43Z

Hello everyone, This next round of voting focuses on some of the cosmetics and extras of Blog Cabin 2008. Choose a cool toy for your sunny afternoons on Watts Bar Lake, feel good about your surroundings with an outdoor green...

Watson Hawkins http://blogs.diynetwork.com/diy/greenhomeguide/ cool toy for your sunny afternoons on Watts Bar Lake, feel good about your surroundings with an outdoor green feature, relax in an adirondack or rocking chair (painted or natural), select your patio furniture style and last, but not least, choose your kitchen cabinet hardware. Happy voting! ]]> tag:blogs.scrippsnetworks.com,2008:/diy/blogcabin//60.2645 2008-03-24T19:34:23Z 2008-03-24T19:51:35Z

From the not-even-close blowouts (shaving Simon's beard) to the down-to-the-wire contests (bath fixture finish) - no, I'm not talking about the NCAA Tournament - I'm talking about voting features we need your help choosing. And the features keep coming: metal...

Watson Hawkins http://blogs.diynetwork.com/diy/greenhomeguide/ we need your help choosing. And the features keep coming: metal roof color (all very handsome), patio design, patio luxury item (heater, speakers or refrigerator), garage storage option and hardscaping material / theme. Early indications are that the patio features are going to be razor-close contests, so vote every day! ]]> tag:blogs.scrippsnetworks.com,2008:/diy/blogcabin//60.2609 2008-03-18T22:27:28Z 2008-03-18T23:03:41Z

Faithful, Observative Bloggers, New videos coming at you! Take a look at Ahmed's entertaining first visit to the build site and then step inside Chris & Simon's workshop, where we see them at work and reviewing the blogs first hand....

Watson Hawkins http://blogs.diynetwork.com/diy/greenhomeguide/ Ahmed's entertaining first visit to the build site and then step inside Chris & Simon's workshop, where we see them at work and reviewing the blogs first hand. The best part, both of these videos are directed at you, the bloggers. A growing part of this story isn't just the stunning San Jacinto or the beautiful location - it's about the fast-growing community of bloggers that provides us with so much insight and thoughtfulness, so check the videos out! Humble regards, Watson at DIYnetwork.com P.S. I know many of you share a passion for (or indifference to) landscaping and wanted to direct you to our latest contest: America's Most Desperate Landscape. Browse our gallery of some seriously funky yards or upload your own: you could win a complete makeover on national TV! ]]> tag:blogs.scrippsnetworks.com,2008:/diy/blogcabin//60.2550 2008-03-10T21:24:39Z 2008-03-10T22:26:35Z

Hey Gang, Just wanted to give you a fresh thread to post your comments; we have some intriguing voting choices for you: bathroom and kitchen luxury items, plus refrigerator, dishwasher and washer/dryer styles. Also, I put together a slideshow of...

Watson Hawkins http://blogs.diynetwork.com/diy/greenhomeguide/ bathroom and kitchen luxury items, plus refrigerator, dishwasher and washer/dryer styles. Also, I put together a slideshow of the log raising that has a few more pics to peruse than the previous blog entry, so feel free to give it a look. Cheers, Watson, DIYnetwork.com Manager]]> tag:blogs.scrippsnetworks.com,2008:/diy/blogcabin//60.2534 2008-03-06T22:33:03Z 2008-03-06T23:31:31Z

Hello Beloved Bloggers, It's Watson, fresh off my whirlwind trip to the build site this morning (Thursday, March 6) for the log raising. As you can see from the images below, construction is well underway and there is a buzz...

Watson Hawkins http://blogs.diynetwork.com/diy/greenhomeguide/ Lakefront Estates Lot 5. ]]> slideshow from my trip today - and check out just a few of the images I gathered. And if you haven't seen our new Log Cabin Kitchen and Bath videos (underneath the ad), check them out, they're very cool. The D-shaped logs are ready to go. Raising logs above the two-car garage. The cabin profile rises quickly. Couldn't resist this shot: so stark and so beautiful. Spring will turn this landscape lush. Nice to get out of the cubicle for a couple of hours! ]]> tag:blogs.scrippsnetworks.com,2008:/diy/blogcabin//60.2484 2008-02-26T15:08:14Z 2008-03-03T14:58:27Z

WOW!!! It's really happening, we have officially broken ground! I just got home from Tennessee and am extremely excited about this entire project. It was great to see the environment the cabin is located in: lakefront, wooded lots with panoramic...

Ahmed Hassan http://blogs.scrippsnetworks.com/diy/blogcabin/ WOW!!! It's really happening, we have officially broken ground! I just got home from Tennessee and am extremely excited about this entire project. It was great to see the environment the cabin is located in: lakefront, wooded lots with panoramic views that change as the trees go dormant, but always remain beautiful! I also got to meet with senior builder Ted, as well as Darlene, who is the manufacturer of the log home. They are both very enthusiastic and were really helpful in answering all of my questions about the construction process, the lot rules and regulations and how we can all work together to make sure that this cabin is truly a one of a kind and caters to the bloggers suggestions. I made sure that all of the pre-existing material on site would remain so that we could later infuse it into the landscape and house surroundings. Hey, it's on our lot, so we want it! This whole experience is going to be great for all of us! I've never been a part of the cabin-building process. I have worked in production landscaping for awhile and got to see the process of production homes (track homes) being built. Watching how the various construction trades are executed and the craftsmanship involved reflects the same level of professionalism of our DIY Network experts To actually make decisions on behalf of the bloggers in this case is going to be very cool, and you couldn't ask for a better representative on your behalf! Keep in touch! Ahmed Me with the crew at the groundbreaking of Blog Cabin 2008.]]> tag:blogs.scrippsnetworks.com,2008:/diy/blogcabin//60.2478 2008-02-25T17:04:39Z 2008-02-25T17:24:39Z

That's right, faithful and cheery bloggers, more features are here to face judgment. This two-week run has you deciding bathroom fixtures (three great choices: think about the entire cabin as you decide), kitchen sink (I sense a battle brewing on...

Watson Hawkins http://blogs.diynetwork.com/diy/greenhomeguide/ bathroom fixtures (three great choices: think about the entire cabin as you decide), kitchen sink (I sense a battle brewing on this one), kitchen backsplash, rear foyer flooring, a basement Man Caves theme and - reiterating that we have a sense of humor around here - you, and you, and you (and especially YOU) will decide whether one of our contractors, Simon (yes, from Season 1 of Blog Cabin) keeps his beard or not! Feel free to defend your choices below. If you are a first-time blogger, we want to hear from you! Don't let the regulars have all the fun ... ]]> tag:blogs.scrippsnetworks.com,2008:/diy/blogcabin//60.2441 2008-02-14T20:58:38Z 2008-02-20T17:46:58Z

Allow me to introduce Darlene Branim, CEO of Barna Log Homes. She has graciously taken the time to note all the suggestions made by bloggers that were woven into the San Jacinto floor plan: NEW San Jacinto images below!...

Watson Hawkins http://blogs.diynetwork.com/diy/greenhomeguide/ Darlene Branim, CEO of Barna Log Homes. She has graciously taken the time to note all the suggestions made by bloggers that were woven into the San Jacinto floor plan: NEW San Jacinto images below!]]>

Bathtub inserted into one of the upstairs bathrooms. We were able to make this work with out changing the size of the dormer which allowed us to keep the home symmetrical on the road elevation and without losing any closet space. Although a little tight, we were able to get a full size bathtub/shower combo in the room with the water closet and a pedestal sink. It worked out very nicely.

Since many people thought the out door living space off the master bedroom was going to be an outdoor kitchen instead of an owner’s private porch, we moved the porch to the lake side of the home coming off the great room and closer to the kitchen and dining room.

We then changed the fireplace to a dual fireplace (indoor and outdoor) on the log wall thus allowing for a full view of the lake for the new outdoor living area.

Because we needed to change access to the new outdoor living space, we made the fixed glass units on each side of the fireplace to operable swinger doors.

Now that we no longer needed a side entrance from the master bedroom to the private porch, we moved the two windows to the side wall of the master bedroom and added a double door to the deck/porch side of the master bedroom for access and to match the dining room wing.

Bloggers wanted to see more glass in the fireplace gable end of the home so we added fixed trapezoid on each side of the fireplace to allow more natural light and to open up a view of the lake from the loft upstairs.

For a little variety, we added garden window at the kitchen sink.

Most everyone wanted to see a larger pantry and laundry room, so we replaced the home office with the laundry room and made the old laundry closet into a nice size pantry.

Although not requested by the bloggers, we added a small arch window to the rear foyer wing and changed the window size from a single to a double to match the master bath wing. This really made things look balanced from the road elevation. The original design was to have a detached two car garage connecting to the home with a breezeway at the rear foyer wing; however, the lot size just would not accommodate the length of the overall structure, so we planned for the driveway to be moved to the other side of the home (Master Bedroom side) and we have changed the home from a crawl space foundation to a full size walk-out basement. Now the garage will be in the basement of the home underneath the master bedroom. The stairs are stacked so we have access from the basement coming up into the great room just outside the dining/kitchen wall. We would have normally flipped the master bedroom and kitchen wings, however with this particular design and since we have load bearing points instead of load bearing walls, we could not flip these wings as the staircase would then be in the way in the basement preventing us from driving into the garage as we now must do. I believe that we have a very nice open flowing floor plan focusing on the lake with great entertainment and outdoor living spaces, yet accommodating a very narrow lot and working with the natural lay of the land so we do not disturb or take away from the beauty of the lot and the adjoining lots. This has been fun and educational and I look forward to continuing to work with the bloggers as we design and build this house together. Darlene Branim, CEO Barna Log Homes Left Elevation Road Side Elevation Right Elevation Lakeside Elevation 1st Floor 2nd Floor Note: If you are opening the images in Explorer, allow your cursor to hover at the bottom, right-hand corner of the image - this should enable the "expand" option providing you with a larger image view. ]]> tag:blogs.scrippsnetworks.com,2008:/diy/blogcabin//60.2426 2008-02-11T19:32:04Z 2008-02-11T21:32:35Z

Warm greetings to you, Wonderful Bloggers, As many of you have discovered, five substantial Blog Cabin voting features have come your way: wood flooring (gratuitous plug alert: powered by our friends at Lumber Liquidators), exterior stain, window style, master bath...

Watson Hawkins http://blogs.diynetwork.com/diy/greenhomeguide/ wood flooring (gratuitous plug alert: powered by our friends at Lumber Liquidators), exterior stain, window style, master bath style and guest bath style. I am here merely to "restart" the conversation - as many of you have discovered the rhythm that we have established, i.e. new voting features = new blog entry. This won't always be the case. In fact, later this week we'll be hearing from Darlene Branim, the CEO of Barna Log Homes, who will provide a full report on modifications to the San Jacinto floor plan - all suggested by YOU, the bloggers! You won't want to miss it. Your servant, Watson, Manager, DIYnetwork.com P.S. I have received some stinging criticism of the blog "refresh" schedule. I'm hurt you guys. I want to reassure you that I do my best. Also, if you don't see your criticism published, rest easy: I got the message. We value you, trusty bloggers, so look for more refreshes throughout the business day. And, starting Feb. 16, anticipate weekend refreshes. You heard that right - even if I have to duck into Panera Bread with my laptop on a sunny Saturday, expect a couple of refreshes before Monday. ]]> tag:blogs.scrippsnetworks.com,2008:/diy/blogcabin//60.2372 2008-01-29T14:52:42Z 2008-01-29T15:27:17Z

Hello Growing Family of Passionate Bloggers, Less than 24 hours into the next round of voting and already thousands of votes have poured in! Keep up the good work everyone - the bar is being raised with each new round....

Watson Hawkins http://blogs.diynetwork.com/diy/greenhomeguide/ hanging pendant, wood-burning fireplace and D-log system. Hard to go wrong with those. But there is no time to reflect - onward we go! Consider carefully the five latest features: roof type, fireplace surround (tile, stone or brick), master bath shower, kitchen cabinet style and kitchen countertops. Your influence will be firmly imprinted when the dust clears here, so choose wisely thoughtful bloggers... Cheers, Watson, DIYnetwork.com Manager Oh! Two things: Ahmed Hassan's eagerly-anticipated first entry is coming soon. Also, as with any blog where strong opinions are encouraged, it can get a little chippy. Please be considerate of others. I take a relaxed, open approach to comments, but I will make you stand out in the hallway if I have to. Now, let's hear about those countertops... ]]>