Embrace the imperfections Welcome back to Period Dramas, a weekly column that alternates between rounding up historic homes on the market and answering questions we?ve always had about older structures.
Usually, when we round up older houses, we?re looking for one thing above all: gorgeous details. It?s in the architectural flourishes?walk-in fireplaces with beehive ovens, wide floorboards, hand-forged hardware, and abundant woodwork?that we usually recognize the stamp of history.
But, to be honest, it would be short-sighted to only value opulent older houses, even ones on a smaller scale. Many historic structures stand out for their simplicity. And one such type is the log cabin.
Built in the 18th and 19th centuries, log cabins were popularized by Swedish and German settlers (it?s a bit of a toss up as to who started building first) in the Mid-Atlantic states stretching from Pennsylvania to Virginia. It was fairly uncommon to see log buildings by English settlers because, simply, log construction was not widely practiced in England. Regardless of who built these structures, though, a few things remain consistent: They all have fairly simple floorplans, and forego excessive interior ornamentation. In fact, the beauty of their interiors lies in how the carved logs and hand-troweled mortar is not covered up by drywall or plaster. (Consider this the better version of exposed brick walls.) And above all, log cabins can all be organized based on the ways that the ends o...