My Houzz: A Rustic Log Cabin Charms in the Mountains of Alabama

Like many great ideas, this one began with a sketch on a cocktail napkin. While having dinner with their contractor Carl Jones, Mary Beth and Dan McCrary shared their design ideas for a rustic log cabin in the mountains of Alabama and Jones drew up a simple blueprint that night. Two years later, that drawing became the couple's charming summer home.

The McCrarys' two-story cabin overlooks a deep gorge and the clear flowing rapids of the Little River in Mentone. “We wanted the cabin to look and feel like it belonged in that spot," Dan says. "That led to the use of a lot of rustic materials like log walls, timber supports, and native stone fireplaces and retaining walls.”

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Dan and Mary Beth McCrary
Location: Mentone, Alabama
Size: About 2,800 square feet; 2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, plus an open loft

Mentone is just 90 minutes from Birmingham, where the couple lives during the year. Mary Beth and Dan often drive to their getaway cabin for a long weekend or even just a day. For them, the point of a vacation home is to relieve stress, not add it. So to make it truly relaxing, the couple decided to build the home without gutters, sheetrock or grass to mow, and they used metal roofing and natural wood interior walls for minimal upkeep. They also went with a low-maintenance gravel driveway.

Colorful native flowers pop against the dark logs supporting the base design. The stone and wood used for the retaining wall and fireplaces were both native to the area.

Log stain: Hawthorne, Sherwin Williams; shingles: Monterey Tan, (acrylic stain) Sherwin Williams; Landscaping: Russel Wright, Wrights Nursery & Landscaping


The McCrarys had incorporated the spacious layout with its open loft into their initial plans. "Somewhere along the way, we encountered an open loft and loved the way it felt," Mary Beth says. "Also, the cabin is intended to be a place where the family can spend time together. The open design of the loft promotes that goal.”

Log stain: Hawthorne, DeckScapes by Sherwin Williams


Under the stairs, a timeworn dresser and small ladder store vintage accessories and finds.


The formal dining room table, made from slow-growth Georgia pine, sits in an open floor space surrounded by the wraparound porch. This location allows for the family to gather and host large meals surrounded by the cabin’s breathtaking views.

Dining Table: Anne and Eric Hathaway, Atlanta, Georgia; hardwood floors: reclaimed oak, James & Company; chairs, chandelier, and buffet: Maison De France, Leeds, Alabama; floor: reclaimed oak


A pair of distressed lamps under mounted antlers decorates a wall space between the porch doors.

Buffet: Maison De France, Leeds, Alabama


In the kitchen, a farmhouse sink harmonizes the log cabin style. Off-white painted cabinets paired with wooden pulls add to the rustic feel.

Without sheetrock, the heating pipes were exposed on the bare kitchen walls, a problem that Jones fixed by reconstructing them to flow under the home.

Sink: Rohl Farmhouse, V & W Supply; kitchen Cabinet color: Carrington Beige, Benjamin Moore; kitchen pulls: Seibel's, Birmingham, Alabama


Knowing they'd incorporate this large hutch into the kitchen, the couple designed the layout to accommodate the piece. Two vintage eaves decorate the open wall leading into the rest of the home.

Kitchen hutch: The Cottage Shop, Birmingham, Alabama


A small fireplace charms the kitchen’s dining area. Mary Beth bought the bright red wooden chairs on a beach trip and knew they would be a colorful addition to the cozy space.


The two bedrooms are tucked in the back corner of the home and share a small hallway. The main bedroom, shown here, mirrors the rustic features of the home in its decor and furniture.


A small console with antique collectibles dresses the wall in front of the main bath with an Amish Rocker.


The industrial mirror in the guest bathroom was constructed from an unidentified piece of factory equipment. Like the rest of the decor, the couple chose the industrial mirror for its age and vintage appeal, which reflects the home's rustic style.

Mirror: Scott's Antiques, Atlanta, Georgia


Rocky Top Log Furniture made the guest bed from Northern White Cedar. Soft linens and calm hues add warmth and comfort to the room.

Pillow Cases: Antropologie


The view from the top of the stairs shows the entire first floor. The vintage trumeau above the mantel inspired much of the cabin’s natural beauty and rustic charm. Mary Beth’s favorite spot in the house is the club chair in the far corner, where she can see nearly the entire home while reading and drinking coffee.


The upstairs loft offers an array of various sized beds, unique furniture and colorful linens for family and guests to choose from. The couple whitewashed the pine walls and lofted ceiling to allow the grain to show through. Every time the McCrarys visit the home, they can see more and more of the pine’s natural texture and beauty.

The couple kept some of the duvets and linens from when their children were smaller, adding sentiment and history to the assorted beds.


On the opposing walls, built-in twin bed cubbies offer a dose of privacy in the open layout.

Read more about cubbies: Cozy up in a built-in bed cubby


A vintage, distressed crib is tucked below one of the loft beds and an open shelving unit displays a colorful assortment of quilts.

Bedding: Three Sheets, Birmingham, Alabama


Natural light pours through the loft’s windows. The wood beams within the rail are structural and supported by cement blocks under the house.


A mix of colorful quilts dresses the handmade poster bed made in Wildwood, Georgia, by Appalachian Rustic Furnishings.

Mary Beth found the dried flower window display at a farmer's market in Birmingham.

Bedding: Antropologie; artwork (above bed); Pepper Place Farmer's Market, Birmingham, Alabama


Mary Beth and Dan relax on a swing in their screened-in porch — Dan’s favorite spot. The porch faces the breathtaking views of the gorge. “Mentone is a quaint town with lots of relaxing things to do, or you can choose simply to enjoy the quiet,”Mary Beth says.

Porch swing: Buettner Brothers Lumber Co., Cullman, Alabama

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