Log furniture is the perfect decor for a log cabin in upper Minnesota and our cabin was full of it.
When you enter the cabin you are greeted with an antler light fixture hanging above a log table and chairs. Beyond is the living room and wall of windows with a beautiful view of the lake.
To the left of the dining table is a thick log support post and a tall log bookcase.
The authentic log furniture continues with the coffee table, end table, wall mirror, and TV console.
Lutsen, MN is a quaint town on the north shore of Lake Superior. In the winter they have a ski resort and in the summer they host a 99 mile mountain bike race which my son, Sam, competed. One year on the drive home I noticed a man selling moose antlers on the side of the road. I was so excited to pull over and purchase two. One I displayed on the porch in our Highover home and the other at the cabin. I made the tray from old dock planks found in the yard and I purchased the chunky handles from Hobby Lobby.
I love to accessorize a bookcase. On top of this one is an iron canoe with long stemmed paddles. I am drawn to the simple lines and how it is silhouetted against the wall. It was purchased at Christmas Point Wild Rice Company – a really cool furniture and gift store in Brainerd, MN. It is a special piece, as I bought it with a gift card from my Minnesota tennis friends when I captained a team one year.
I found this fish bookend set at an antique store in the quaint town of Pequot Lakes, MN, only 6 miles from the cabin. I would tell you the type of fish it is, but of course, I have no idea.
I have always been fascinated with these black fossil stone plaques. I researched them for this blog and found that the fish is an Orthoceras, an ancient mollusk that lived more than 400 million years ago. The fossils are exposed from the matrix and polished to bring out the intricate detail.
A china hutch is another favorite of mine to accessorize.
In this hutch I feature the beautiful sailboat stoneware given to me by my sister, Christie. I smile when I think about eating off Noritake dinnerware in a rustic cabin.
On the top shelf I have vintage wine glasses and bottled wine in front of an interesting sushi plate I bought in Tucsan, AZ.
A fun twist is adding a blue framed photo of my daughter, Kate. To make everything easy to view when the glass cabinet doors are closed, I placed items on pieces of old dock planks.
I found several old dock pieces in the yard so I used them to build a shoe rack, a vanity stand and a bench at the end of our bed. Free wood with a cool vibe.
There is no coat closet, a must for northern Minnesota. Thus, we attached more old dock pieces to the wall and screwed on wild animal and native fish hooks found at Menards. The side table in front of the open stairs functions as a desk and/or a puzzle assembly station.
The kitchen at the cabin continues the rustic theme with pine wood cabinets featuring black acorn pulls. I scored the functional rolling cart for only $5.00 at a garage sale and I did not even have to change the color. What a find!
On the counter are Sleepy Eye pitchers holding cooking utensils. My mother, Elaine, had collected an impressive number of these antique pitchers over the last 40 years. I still remember when I was in my 20’s traveling from Nebraska to Sleepy Eye, Minnesota with my mother and sister to attend an antique convention featuring this stoneware. It was originally placed in bags of flour as a promotion in the early 1900s. The small tin signs on the backsplash also advertise the brand. My mother has since sold her collection, but she saved these nostalgic pieces for me. The best part of the story is when I discovered that the neighbors directly next door are from Sleepy Eye. This cabin was meant to be ours.
The large trout canvas on the wall was purchased online at Great Big Canvas. I love the shape of trout, but after I received the canvas I realized our lake does not stock trout. Oh well. A fish, is a fish, is a fish, in my book. Speaking of fish, I attached these whimsical ones to the pull chains on the ceiling fans. I think they are wide mouth bass, but who knows?
At the base of the open staircase is an arrangement I made from old netting purchased years ago on a family beach vacation.
Attached to the netting are groups of vintage lures purchased on eBay. I had so much fun arranging these colorful, eclectic lures. Hard to believe fishermen risked losing them in the water, all for the quest of catching a fish.
The metal sign and large green gaping fish were found at Hobby Lobby.
Around the corner is an area previously underutilized with a loveseat no one sat on. We replaced it with an iron trundle daybed for those occasions we have extra guests.
The wood ducks in the open shelf were custom carved by a close family friend, Cliff, and painted by my mother, Elaine. Very special mementos. The book on “Loons” is a nod to Minnesota’s state bird. In the evening when these majestic birds call to each other it is simply magical.
The large duck pictures were purchased online at Art.com and the frames came from Hobby Lobby. I am partial to the one where the duck is yapping at it’s mate.
Across from the trundle bed is a canoe display which holds lots of books, more antique lures, and a bronze deer statue from my mother.
A fun side note is the picture of my husband Daryl in a white birch frame on the top shelf. I did not notice, until a friend pointed it out, that the book underneath is titled “The Darling”. Could not have been more fitting.
Outside the bedrooms I have a personalized map of our lake, Pelican Lake. I mounted a battery powered picture light above and control it with a remote.
Which of these Log Cabin decorating ideas was your favorite? Let me know in the comments below. 👇
Meanwhile, check out more Log Cabin posts:
Log Cabin Beds and Baths – Creative Ideas with Beautiful Pictures!
Log Cabin on the Lake – Exterior Ideas Complete with Photos!
Hi mom!
Your upcycled dock wood furniture is absolutely perfect, what a great idea! Love the fishy’s on the wall and the pull chains, so cute! Jigsaw puzzles are a passion of mine; a designated spot to assemble is nirvana!
So fun to see and read about your creativity.
Thank you Sandy!
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