2012…the Beginning is near…
If you have being breathing the past few years you know that 2012 has been a tremendously prophesied year, and according to the Mayan Calendar, time runs out. Notable visionaries have predicted worldwide changes to the Earth’s surface, redefined coast lines and continents divided. Others have interpreted the new year as the beginning of a NEW AGE of enlightenment where we see our place on Earth in a more holistic way, fully connected to ”Mother Earth” and to all of Earth’s population. Whatever you believe 2012 will bring, how you live it is your decision. For myself, I will live it a day at a time, do the best work I can do that day, appreciate ALL that is presented to me as an opportunity to learn, grow and enrich the experience for myself and for the people I encounter that day. So my wish for you is the same. It is your decision, should our paths cross, I will do my best to make it ALL it can be.
2012, I choose to think of it as a New Beginning. Michael Grant
The Average Joe
Confidence Drives The Economy
We meet folks all the time that want to buy or build a new home who are slow to commit because of their lack of confidence in our economy. We have a congress that isn’t doing its job, an uncertain economic future and the average Joe isn’t sure if he will have a job next week. In my opinion, it all boils down to lack of leadership. Lack of leadership in congress (on both sides of the isle). Lack of leadership in the business community and lack of leadership in our society. By this I mean it is about time we all stood up and said enough is enough.
Why do we have career politicians; people that get so far removed from everyday life that they can not possibly understand what the average Joe needs or wants. Well I will tell you. It’s because we keep voting them in! Our founding fathers intended congress to be a cross representation of “the people” they represent. How can a senator or congressman that has never been in a Walmart or Dollar Store possibly understand the needs of the average Joe? They can’t! It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, live well or live modestly. Everyone has had to make changes in their behavior as an adjustment to our slow economy. The paradigm has shifted with all of us EXCEPT a great number of our representatives in congress. They play by different rules. They have their own healthcare program (there exempt from the Obama healthcare program you know), their own retirement plan (they still get paid after they leave office), they are exempt from insider trading, etc. etc. Why should they play by a different set of rules than the rest of us? I think both the House and the Senate should have mandatory term limits just like the president does. This would force them to go back home and make a living just like the rest of us and would bring new representatives into office that understand the challenges of the times.
Just my two cents…..
Reading Recommendation: Morgan Stanley Smith Barney December 2011 Market Commentary
Joe Folsom , Modern Rustic Homes 706-273-7140 Web: http://www.ModernRusticHomes.com
What is Craftsman Style Architecture
One of the most popular architectural styles requested today is Craftsman. Craftsman architecture became popular in the early 1900′s and was developed by architects and residential designers such the Greene brothers in Southern California, Sylvanus Marston, Arthur and Alfred Heineman as well as many anonymous architects. Also called Bungalows, this style of architecture takes much of it’s classical proportions from Greek temples, Japanese and Swiss houses and has blended these design influences into a house the creates intimate spaces inside and out. This is done by the prevalent use of jerkinhead and shed dormers, entrance porches, courtyards, and gardens to manipulate the spaces.
The spin we have put on this style is to use a mix of rustic materials typically found in mountain homes such as poplar bark, fletch board, logs, rough sawn planks and heavy timbers. Add stone accents and you now have a unique look and feel. The following plans are examples of the rustic craftsman look that we have built for some of our clients.
Fire Fly Cabin Buckhead Cabin Raspberry Cabin Largemouth Lodge Smallmouth Lodge
Meet The Modern Rustic Homes Team
OK… this is our first attempt at creating a video, so while it may not be perfect, it does give a good overview of who we are and what we do. Please enjoy and try not to laugh……
Also check us out on Facebook
Modern Rustic Living
Lifestyles & Real Estate Modern Rustic Living Video
It’s all about the lifestyle! Most of us Baby Boomer’s have spent way too much time at the office, on a plane or out of town. At some point we wake up and realize time is passing us by and we need to find some balance in our lives. Some of us do this by simply spending more time with their family. Others take up flying, sky diving, scuba diving, hunting, fishing and simply enjoying the beauty of the outdoors. If your like me, you do all of this and then some! Please take a moment to enjoy learning about a lifestyle we call “Modern Rustic Living” where we combine the abundance of the outdoors and an appreciation of all things “natural’ with the modern conveniences of which you have become accustom. Maybe you are an aging Baby Boomer ready for retirement or a respected executive in your field that just needs some balance in your life by finding that perfect retreat in the woods where your cell phone only works when you want it to.
We are all about helping our clients Buy, Build or Sell homes that proved “Modern Rustic Living”. Most of the folks we work with just want to get away from the city and enjoy life a little. To help these folks out, we focus exclusively on promoting developments in southeast United States that represent a lifestyle we call “Modern Rustic Living“. These are natural developments with an abundance of trees, rolling meadows, fishing lakes and streams, waterfalls and large acreage lots. We encourage Green Building techniques and oversee construction projects all over the Southeast to assure your log or timber frame home is built to exacting standards.
If you are planning on building your dream home and need help getting it on paper, we have a design center in the North Georgia Mountains (just north of Atlanta) where we can sit down together and plan out exactly what your home will look like. Or you can choose from one of our standard models (we have hundreds). Either way, we are here to help you realize your dream of owning a Modern Rustic Living home gently nestled aside a bubbling creek or high atop a mountain looking down over the valley.
We focus exclusively on marketing homes made from natural materials and understand the unique character of a log, stone or heavy timber home. From a small cabin in the woods to a large estate home on the river, we can help! So if you are planning to build a log home or want one ready to move into, please give us a call or visit our web sites at
Meet The Modern Rustic Living Team Video Modern Rustic Living Lifestyle Video
Joe Folsom
Occupy This!
Trying to assess the truth and reality of the Occupy Movement has been difficult. The news media brings us sensationalism and tragedy, but little real content. The few spokespeople that have surfaced with an intelligent message have been drowned out by the guy banging on the drums in the background. Then there is the Occupy venue, most notable the park in New York, now cleared out for sanitation reasons. I’ve no doubt the park was getting a little gamey, dangerous and ineffectual towards the Movement. The articulate Occupiers that we have seen are really the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface are a huge number of people equally frustrated and afraid for our country. I wonder why we have not seen an Occupy Washington D.C. Would this not be more appropriate?
So what is the real message of the Occupy Movement? I think it is a growing number of people that are frustrated, fearful and disgusted by the dishonesty, the corruption and the complicity of Wall Street and Washington. So let’s be honest. Would the State of the Union have gotten into this mess had the Power Brokers in Washington not become the minions of the Wall Street cronies? It does take two to tango. Look at the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debacle if you need evidence of how corrupt, and incredulous this dance has become.
So what do we do about it? We do have a choice and are better equipped than ever to let Wall Street and Washington know how we feel. We decide who we will vote for in an election and we decide which companies from which to purchase products and services. If you think your vote doesn’t count, YOUR WRONG! That is what the career politicians are counting on. It is time each and every one of us stands up and does his or her part in deciding our future. Yes, it is up to YOU and it is up to ME to make a difference for our children and our future. Write your congressman. Write your Senator and let the guys in Washington know they represent us and are accountable to us. More importantly, let them know we are not sitting this one out. We are watching and will hold them accountable for their actions and their votes. Lastly, send a letter to the companies that are ripping us off, and then quit doing business with them. We can make a difference. Get out and vote this coming election and make a difference in our future, our destiny and our quality of life.
Vote with your ballot and your pocket book. Take notice of your candidates’ content and character before casting your ballot. Choose wisely and for a candidate with conviction, direction and a track record with the ability to lead. Look for candidates that respect and understand our Constitution and have real solutions for today’s greatest challenges. We live in a country that offers freedoms and privileges like none other. Exercise this freedom and cast your vote. Let our representatives in Washington know we are the people of the United States of America and our voice will be heard.
Made In America
In the past few months I have participated in three regional trade shows and I began to hear the same two questions from a variety of people. “How much of your products are made in America?” and “Are you American owned?” It seems a new awareness has surfaced with our customers as to the importance of doing business with American owned companies and American made products. On a personal level, I share the same interest and concern.
A good question deserves a good answer. So I spoke with Gilbert Phillips, our Operations Manager with Jim Barna Log and Timber Homes. Gilbert has been with us for many years and sources materials and supplies from a wide variety of vendors. This is what he reported back;
Our logs, rafters and beams primarily come from North Carolina, Virginia and Georgia
Yellow pine rafters and beams are from Tennessee, Kentucky and Georgia
Architectural Glu Lams, (engineered structural lumber) comes from Mississippi
Tongue and groove paneling is milled in North Carolina
Dimension lumber comes from North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana.
Windows and doors, Tennessee, Kentucky, Minnesota, Pennsylvania
Rail materials, Alabama and Michigan
Flooring, North Carolina, Georgia and Kentucky
We also purchase a wide variety of wood finish products, insulation, both foam and fiberglass, gasket materials, adhesives, sealants, etc. that are made in Illinois, Georgia, West Virginia, Nevada, California, and Florida
We also have the distinction of being the only “distributor” owned log and timber frame manufacturer in the United States. Because we are on the front line with our customers we provide valuable insight into our production processes and our ongoing quality improvement. During the past three years, we have added new products, floor plans and services to better accommodate our customers’ expectations.
Another thought came to mind. We ship internationally. So we actually are exporting materials instead of importing materials. We do what we can to tilt the balance of trade in our direction.
We appreciate our customers’ confidence and the trust they place in us. Your business is a privilege and we thank you for it.
Michael Grant, Architectural Designer/Realter
Modern Rustic Homes & Barna Log Homes
Coldwell Banker High Country Realty
Modern Rustic Living Team
Ellijay, GA
The Whole Kit and Caboodle
Modern Rustic Living
Building A Lifestyle We Call \”Modern Rustic Living
It seems the log home industry has created a perception that we are all about the “kit”. The Kit being a package of materials used to build your log home. To make it a little more coherent, the Kit may include packages for your log walls, rafters and beams, windows and doors and the conventional building materials to construct the “shell” of the house. The kit of materials is determined based on the architecture and specifications for your house. The “Shell” (also called a dry-in package) is the basic enclosed structural elements of the home (including exterior walls, the structural part of the roof system, windows and doors and the structural part of the floor). What is not included is the electrical system, plumbing, finished wall coverings, finished flooring, kitchen cabinets & appliances and in some cases the finished ceiling components.
Today it is almost always about the whole Kit and Caboodle. If you are an Old English expert, you know that caboodle refers to the estate. Over time this expression has come to mean everything you need to accomplish your desired result. Our caboodle is all of the other items needed to complete your house ready to move in.
When you come to Modern Rustic Homes/Barna Log Homes for us to design and build your dream home, we provide the full range of design services, materials specifications and construction management to see that your project is complete. Many people refer to this as a “turnkey” job. You put the key in the door, turn the knob and move in. So if what you want is the comfort and assurance that you are getting a beautifully designed house, a high level of craftsmanship, a professionally managed project and fiscal accountability, then you want the whole kit and caboodle.
Retreat Home Trends
Chestnut Lodge
Second homes for vacation, retreat or investment have been increasing in part due to the “buyers” market in real estate. By 2012 that number will top 10 million second home owners in the United States. A significant number of second home buyers are choosing log homes. The trend is up for several reasons. One of which is the pure look and feel of a log home. There is an inherent honesty with log homes. What you see is what you get. We are also looking for a respite, a place to go to recharge our batteries and renew our spirits. The North Georgia Mountains is an hour away and a world apart from the pace of metro Atlanta.
Additional Trends……….
Less is more. Many customer want smaller houses with greater amenities. No one wants a house that requires more work. They would rather have fewer rooms, but greater quality.
Good design sells. A well designed house uses the square footage and volume to its best advantage. Many rooms are multifunctional. Typically the living room, kitchen and dining rooms are one space. “Cozy” rooms are smaller spaces that may function as a study as well as a guest room. Loft spaces double as additional living space and become a sleeping loft for Spillover Company.
High tech has created a desire for high touch. Log cabins have become popular in part because people want something that is as it appears to be. Log houses are honest. If the house is well constructed it shows, if poorly built it shows. You can’t hide behind drywall. Also, people are tired of surfaces they can’t touch for fear of getting it dirty or damaged. Rustic doesn’t mean primitive, it means friendly, touchable, usable, durable.
The heart of the home. The kitchen is it. It needs to be open to the living spaces so the cook is not left out of the conversation. They are getting larger with multiple prep areas, double ovens, six burner stoves, etc. One house currently being designed has a brick pizza oven, an adjacent fireplace and soft seating in the kitchen.
Multi-generational house. This is even truer for second home buyers. Families can share the cost of a house among, grandparents, parents, siblings, etc.. This drives the necessity for one or two master bedroom suites on the main level withADA accessibility in kitchens and bathrooms. Remember, the boomers are aging.
Size matters. This is a polarized issue. Many second home owners want a cabin that is 1200 to 1500 square feet or they want 3500 square feet on multiple levels. They also want convenience. When a second home is purchased, the buyer wants the process packaged so they know what they are getting, for how much and when.
What we do best at Modern Rustic Homes is to identify and define the scope of the project, design the cabin to meet the lifestyle and aesthetic expectations, provide the construction drawings and builder to turn the log home dream into a reality.
