Picture this Hollywood set: A log cabin standing at the edge of the woods, a lake lapping at the dock out front. If you were the set
designer, what props would you bring in to make the setting true to life?
While you probably aren’t in charge of movie-set dressing, considering the scenario can hone your vision of a log cabin. Cabin style is personal, but if you’re searching for iconic cabin flair, include these four elements, straight from central casting.
With these cabin essentials in place, it’s time for a few choice accessories. How about a canoe, fishing pole or hiking boots? After all, getting outdoors is what cabin living is really about.
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Hudson’s Bay camp blanket
Woven in England, wool blankets were traded with Native Americans for beaver pelts as far back as the 1600s and right through the 1800s. The Chief blanket, with its signature design of black, yellow, red and green stripes on a white background is still produced by Pendleton Woolen Mills in Oregon and woven in England for Canadian retailer Hudson’s Bay Company.
Blanket designs became more varied as the fur trade progressed. Woolen mills created “Navajo” blankets that incorporated Native American symbols. Later, these blankets were marketed to the general population as “Indian blankets,” perfect for the outdoorsy lifestyle. In your log cabin, the Chief camp blanket can provide warmth on chilly nights, as well as classic cabin style in a bunkhouse or bedroom.
Courtesy of Woolrich
Enamelware coffee pot
Whether you boil water on a wood stove, over a campfire or on an electric stovetop, the enamelware coffee pot does the trick. Enamelware pots and utensils arrived on the shores of North America during the 1800s. A glass coating over a metal base gives the pieces a glossy finish, makes them easy to clean and prevents corrosion of the metal. The oldest pieces were white or gray. Today, you’ll find enamelware in solid colors, like blue or red, or with speckled finishes called “graniteware.”
Pots vary in size. A search for “graniteware” or “enamelware” on eBay will yield an array of choices. Local antique stores also offer plenty of enamelware to outfit your cabin kitchen. Antique or vintage pots may have nicks, rust spots and crazing (fine cracks) in the enamel. These signs of age just add character.
Courtesy of GSI Outdoors
Adirondack chair
Like many legends, the story of this quintessential summer lounge chair varies, but Harry Bunnell, a carpenter living in Westport, New York, patented a low-slung, slant-backed chair with wide armrests in the early 1900s. This “Westport Chair,” with its low center of gravity and down-sloping seat, made a stable perch in hilly locations. The ample armrests served as tables for a cool drink and a good book — ideal for the wealthy urbanites who flocked to the Adirondacks for the summer.
The design evolved over the years. Today’s chairs are often constructed of narrow boards. (The original Westport Chair was built from wide planks.) And they have gained popularity well beyond the Adirondack region. You’ll find them on cabin porches, lawns and docks wherever folks head for summer R & R.
Courtesy of Plow & Hearth
Wood stove
The first settlers in the New World built fireplaces in their cabins, but by the mid-1800s, wood-burning stoves became popular. A metal stovepipe carried smoke up and out, eliminating the need for a masonry chimney. A stove forged from cast iron heated up quickly, and because it could sit out into a room, it radiated warmth in all directions. Most stoves offered a plate for cooking as well.
If you’re a stickler for authenticity, pick a black cast-iron stove that burns wood for your new cabin. Or save on the labor involved in splitting and hauling wood and go with a gas-fueled stove. Antique stoves are available. Ask an expert to examine an older stove for cracks or damage. Stove manufacturers also offer reproduction models, as well as more contemporary designs.
Courtesy of Vogelzang
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Hudson’s Bay camp blanket
Woven in England, wool blankets were traded with Native Americans for beaver pelts as far back as the 1600s and right through the 1800s. The Chief blanket, with its signature design of black, yellow, red and green stripes on a white background is still produced by Pendleton Woolen Mills in Oregon and woven in England for Canadian retailer Hudson’s Bay Company.
Blanket designs became more varied as the fur trade progressed. Woolen mills created “Navajo” blankets that incorporated Native American symbols. Later, these blankets were marketed to the general population as “Indian blankets,” perfect for the outdoorsy lifestyle. In your log cabin, the Chief camp blanket can provide warmth on chilly nights, as well as classic cabin style in a bunkhouse or bedroom.
Courtesy of Woolrich
Copper Lotus Rain Chain
Outdoor Rock Speaker Pair
Vintage-Look Indoor-Outdoor Chairs
Weather-Resistant Rocking Chair
