You can always look for a real log cabin that can be moved- $$$, but super authentic! I live in an 1840’s log cabin- authenticity is about building processes as much as materials. The craftsmen skilled in the old ways are few and far between these days, but they can be found especially if you live in an area with older homes. Our home has a dry stack stone foundation and two dry stack beehive chimneys, exposed log with lime mortar inside and board and batton siding, medium to wide plank hardwood flooring (we were able to save much of the original floor, so it’s not tongue and groove), and our main floor ceiling has the second floor joists exposed. We just replaced a ~50 year old standing seam metal roof, black, with another but discovered that the first roof has been added directly on top of cedar shake. Its worth it to us, but for what it’s worth, it’s not an easy home to maintain. The lime mortar is hella dusty and has to be cared for and repointed, our board and batton is painted and must be redone every 10 years or so. The floors are nearly impossible to deep clean (steamer is my method of attack) because they are uneven and have gaps. So historical accuracy may not be the best choice for a vacation cabin ;)

Nicki, your painter is a hack is he was going to use regular paint on the brick. regular paint won't allow the brick to breathe. it will eventually peel or could cause moisture retention on the brick. please, if you want to lime wash, look at Romabio products. it's not that expensive and it's made for masonry products. Because Classico Limewash is highly permeable and breathable, it calcifies to the brick for maximum durability and will continue to patina over time, lasting decades without having to repaint or maintain the finish. Due to the high pH of the paint, it is naturally mold-resistant and has a high UV and fade resistance allowing the color to keep its depth and quality over time. (and perhaps look into a real professional painter that knows what products go where) get a sample of the romabio and just try it. it washes off within 5 days if you don't like it. Transform your brick or stone in one, easy-to-apply coat of paint Classico Limewash is an authentic slaked-lime paint specially formulated to create unique wash off effects for the Interior or Exterior. Whitewashed brick has a charming Old World feel with a freshly painted look. You can update your home while still keeping the warmth of the brick exposed, and not having to fully commit to completely painted brick. The best part is, it’s removable! There’s no stress when deciding the color or look that you want. The paint is designed to be washed off in the first 5-days following application so you can test it as you want. It can easily be touched up because of its flat finish. It is made to last and is manufactured in Italy with the highest-quality ingredients. https://romabio.com/masonry/limewash/ageless-beauty/

Just my opinion.... would definitely get windows with actual panes, but if you can swing it cost-wise you should get the simulated divided lights. not the press-on or only-between-the-glass lights. Check out a window company website for examples. It will give definition to your windows and get rid of the builder basic look. Keep the shutters. New front door, as previous poster said, shoot for something classic and less busy. Sasha dog gave some great ideas. I agree, avoid any stark white in trim and windows. We have the cashmere color from Marvin, maybe look at that. I would keep shutters the same color or similar and maybe look at more dramatic color or front door, if that's what you want. Low commitment if your taste changes. Basically, windows and doors are an area where going low-end is reflected in the look. Fine if that's your budget, but sounds like you are interested in really upgrading the look. (As well as function). Start researching window companies and look at their mid- or high- range options. I really don't think you'd be happy with inexpensive, basic vinyl windows.

Thanks everyone, and yes, res2architect, we are only looking at Hardie Board and Davinci for siding; we have had large sample boards from DaVinci in hand for 6 months, though only small color sample boards for the Hardie Board. It is hard to compare in part because there are not a lot of images out there showing whole-house siding with DaVinci shakes (we have asked the manufacturer for more). We are really interested in materials that require less maintenance, and therefore do not want to do real shake siding; same thinking with the roof. That, and we are at the edge of dense forested dunes and do not want the added fire risk of real cedar shakes. Mark, we are still deciding on roof. Though originally designed with a standing seam metal roof, your words of caution last August prompted us to look at other options. We have looked at samples of several roofing materials, including the DaVinci roofing products and several "metal" shingles, but probably leaning more towards higher impact-rated luxury asphalt (e.g., Certainteed Presidential IR or Belmont). Since we are considering DaVinci siding, we would not want to use a similar product on the roof for esthetic reasons. In addition, we are required to install gutters as part of our runoff water management plan (environmental regulations with the State of MI EGLE in this particular Critical Dune location) and since we will also likely use heating elements in select areas, we have been advised by our roofer (and gutter) subs that this is more challenging (though not impossible) with a metal roof. The metal roof was initially more appealing because of its ability to shed tree detritus and snow, but of course that same snow (and ice) shedding capability is another potential concern and hazard (though that can be mitigated with snow guards). That, and metal roof would be far more difficult and expensive to repair. We are still waiting on final price estimates for both Hardie Board and DaVinci siding, but expect the DaVinci siding to be substantially more. I will share those comparisons once we have numbers in hand. Thanks everyone -