Log Cabin Accessories

caelkhnter · Dec 30, 2005

My wife and I are in the process of building and furnishing our dream log cabin just outside Flagstaff Az. Our hope is to make it our own Rustic mini lodge. The logs are rustic and we have big log posts, rafters etc. throughout so the cabin looks just the way we had hoped. We have got a 1900's stove/oven that we had converted to propane. I am working on two wagon wheel light fixtures. I just got my wife a horse collar mirror as one of her Christmas presents. My sister in law gave me an old fashion bell(rather big) for Christmas that I will have out on the porch area to use as a dinner bell. I thought I would seek input from the MM gang as to what type of other rustic/old fixtures or accessories we might think about getting for our cabin. If you come up with difficult to find or get items and have an idea where I might get it/them post that info as well. Thanks for the help and thoughts. jim

NVBighorn · Dec 30, 2005

Over the last year or so we have been fixing up my folks old house on the ranch (both are deceased) as a guest house and have been trying to maintain a rustic ranch type atmosphere. My dad was a collector of bottles, coins, insulators, etc so I had no problem finding lots of stuff. A few things we added that I think personalize it a little include:

Old model 1894 3030 Winchester that belonged to my grandfather
My dad's old hunting knife. Never was much of a knife but it is very rustic looking
My Dad's old fishing pole and wicker creel
My Dad's old long bow and his hand made arrows
These all hang on an open beam that runs the length of the living room.

My uncle's saddle and bridle
Pair of old spurs
Two old family branding irons that we have replaced with electric ones
Old family pictures

We also got a deal on a couple of end tables that are really wire baskets with glass tops. We layed a few rocks from favorite hunting places, Indian grind stones, purple bottles, a shed antler, a picked-up bighorn sheep skull, mule shoe and other antiques in them. They look very nice and show off a lot of cool stuff. I even partially hid a rusted old 32 caliber pistol in one of them that I found on a hunting trip once.

I also started collecting some of what I call "coffee table books". Mostly pictoral collections about our area but a few old record books and books about bighorn sheep, mule deer, etc.

Start hitting some second hand stores or farm auctions and let your imagination run. It can be a lot of fun. You can find some stuff on ebay if you watch for it. Been looking for a pair of old wooden snowshoes. They make a nice addition if you cross them over a picture or something. Also any handmade leather stuff like reins or riatas are very cool if you can find them. I also picked up a longhorn cow skull in the desert that's kind of cool if I can find a spot for it.

muledeernut · Dec 30, 2005

Anything with horseshoes. I make dinner bells out of draft horse shoes and an old rasp. coat racks, gun racks, picture frames and even book ends out of old, used and new horseshoes. Send me a P.M. if you would like me to send you some pictures of what I have done. Muledeernut

kilowatt · Dec 30, 2005

Are you having indoor plumbing, toilet that is? If so, look around as they are still being made if you can't find one and that is the water tank mounted up on the wall with a long pull chain to flush the toilet. Get the old wooden seat as well.

Brian

eelgrass · Dec 30, 2005

LAST EDITED ON Dec-30-05 AT 06:04PM (MST)[p]Most people think this is pretty off the wall, but if I had an old cabin I would like to have one of the steel bear traps. Not sure where I'd put it, outside or inside. I know it's not for everybody......it would make quite a statement though

http://www.vandykes.com/product/02003713/

Steve

kilowatt · Dec 30, 2005

Cabela's has sold those for years too. Should have bought one years ago when they were a lot cheaper than what they cost now.

Brian

larrbo · Dec 31, 2005

We bought a cabin on a lake about 7 years ago. We really wanted to give it a cabin/lodge look. We bought several items on Ebay for the cabin...antler chandelier, old snow shoes, bamboo fishing creels, 100 year old snow sled. I also put my elk mount above the fireplace. The one thing that I want to add is some fur pelts.

D13er · Dec 31, 2005

LAST EDITED ON Dec-31-05 AT 02:06PM (MST)[p]They're getting a little hard to come by, but an indian skull on the mantle is quite a conversation piece.

JB

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote."
--Benjamin Franklin 1759

caelkhnter · Jan 3, 2006

Thanks for all the info , some great ideas ,keep them coming, jim

Gator · Jan 3, 2006

Some old lanterns, old foothold traps,Old snowshoes, Old animals mounts( birds foxes racoons Ect.) for up in the rafters,Goldpanning stuff,Old Packsaddles stuff. Saddles made into Barstools( my buddy got these really nice) a couple of old wallhanger rifles. I sure like those coffee tables that are glass with birds(Quail) in them. Lots of sheds.

MichaelJ · Jan 3, 2006

"They're getting a little hard to come by, but an indian skull on the mantle is quite a conversation piece."

Dude, WTH?! I sure hope you worded that wrong cause that's just wrong.

Michael~All Gods creatures welcome... right next to the mashed potatoes and gravy.

Roy · Jan 4, 2006

You want to make it really rustic? Tear out the floor and go with hard dirt, don't insulate the walls, but make sure you chunk mud in the cracks between the logs and then seal it with pitch, put in a sod roof and have a two seater outhouse with none of the above. If that's not what you are looking for then apply for Trading Spaces, I'm sure Frank or Genevieve will have some neat designs for you - or maybe Hildy will cover one of your walls with sagebrush and juniper berries. Yeah - that's what I would do!

Seriously though - it sounds like a wonderful retreat in one of the most beautiful areas of the whole wide world. I would definitely look for some old antique firearms to display on the wall. A nice 1867 Colt .44 will perk up any room!
ROY

Dmanmastertracker · Jan 4, 2006

Jim, a place in North Bend Wa. called Log Cabin Creations does the best custom work I've ever seen. I would imagine they could ship you anything. I'm having them do a custom gun cabinet and it was 1/3 the cost of similar cabinets sold by big companies.