When Jim and Nancy Schueler of Hamilton, Montana, set out to build their fourth  log home, they wanted a design that would take full advantage of the 250-acre  property’s breathtaking views of the magnificent Bitterroot Mountain Range.  The result was a sprawling home situated on a knob in the Bitterroot Valley, with expansive windows in every room to offer panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.  “We wanted to design a house with a view from every room, and we accomplishe…

In 2009, when land prices were falling, Indianapolis residents Dale and Michele Wedel bought a parcel of ground in Brown County, Indiana, approximately 70 miles from their Indy home. It seemed like a good investment, and the pair had an inkling that it could make for a nice vacation place, or even a retirement home down the road. “A couple of years later,” says Dale, “Michele and I began a more earnest discussion about what we wanted to do with the site. We tentatively thought that a log home might be a…

Whether it’s for business or pleasure, one of the greatest delights a traveler can encounter is a better-than-expected lodging experience. Such was the case for my husband and me while we were making our way through the Southeast for work.  Located just 15 miles, but seemingly eons, from Louisville, Kentucky, is Captain’s Cabin Bed & Breakfast. The 1800s Appalachian-style log cabin is situated a stone’s throw from welcoming proprietors Tammy and Jan Paul Donelson’s main house. The cabin was loc…

Lone Mountain Ranch in Big Sky, Montana, offers a smorgasbord of log home living, a bucket list of adventures, and cuisine to live for. At less than an hour from the Bozeman airport, 18 miles from the border of Yellowstone National Park (45 to its entrance), and 7 miles from Big Sky Resort, this historic guest ranch is close to paradise and feels like heaven. My friend and I came to stay for a week. Past the horse corral, across the meadow at the edge of the woods, our two lo…

It’s not often that you learn about prime real estate in the United States while working overseas, but that’s exactly how Wayne Hale learned of what would soon become the perfect setting for a two-story timber frame home. Neatly tucked into a bank on Georgetown Lake in Montana, Wayne and Susan Hale’s 5,400-square-foot masterpiece was crafted specifically to fit in with the topography and setting. With crisp green trees in the foreground and wonderful sloping mountains in the background, the Hales enjoy …

As a bridge builder, Mark Van Meter knows the satisfaction that comes from a job well done. So when he decided to build a new home in the rolling hills just outside of Bowling Green in south central Kentucky, he knew he wanted the best. Located 60 miles north of Nashville and 110 miles south of Louisville off Interstate 65, Bowling Green is the third most populous city in the State of Kentucky after Louisville and Lexington. The property appealed to Van Meter for a couple of reasons: convenien…

North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Parkway traverses 252 miles of the state’s mountainous western terrain and is iconic for good reason. Take a drive, slowly mind you (the Parkway speed limit is 45 tops, with occasional areas of 35 and 25 mph) to allow the scenic views around each bend to become indelible memories. There’s nothing quite like a parkway meander—unless, of course, you can call it home, which is the case for Tony and Brenda Seaford. “Our log cabin idea started when Tony dreamed of purchasing mount…

For years, Sam and Gale Easter of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, dreamed of building a log home for their retirement. Though some well-meaning friends tried to discourage them from buying a log home—saying they were too expensive or required too much upkeep—the Easters couldn’t suppress their dream.  Four years after purchasing a waterfront lot on Smith Mountain Lake in 1999, the couple moved into their custom-designed log home in Union Hall, Virginia. “We are loggies,” say Sam and Gale, who also o…

“I quite literally have it in my blood,” says Peter Spanos. “My mother and father bought their first hotel in 1952, before I came along. So I was born and raised in the hospitality business.” The historic hotel his folks had purchased was called the Winnecoette and was perched on a hill above the Weirs Beach area of Lake Winnipesaukee. They renamed it The Shangri-La and branded it as a luxury resort. “It really was something in its time,” recalls Peter. “People came from all over, and many returned year…

Retirement means different things to different people. Some want to spend their time with family and friends, enjoying their free time away from a job. Others have retired from a full-time job but still want to have their hands in a project or two. To some, retirement means having the opportunity to travel the world but returning to a comfortable home base. Still others want to pursue their love for outdoor sports such as golf, skiing, or boating. Many retirees have hobbie…

Well known for its proximity to Montreal, its snow-capped ski slopes, and assortment of activities and establishments, Saint-Sauveur is an outdoor paradise that log home owners Normand and Françoise Arsenault can enjoy every day. Situated about 60 kilometers (37 miles) north of Montreal, Saint-Sauveur is home to Mont Saint-Sauveur, the region’s largest ski area, as well as a group of ski areas that market themselves jointly as “Valley of Saint-Sauveur.” Situated on top of a mountain in Saint-Sauveur is …

When Jim and Sue Alexander built their log home at Crescent Lake in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, 10 years ago, the couple had a few key objectives in mind. For starters, they wanted a beautiful, waterfront retirement home that would allow them to enjoy 626-acre Crescent Lake and all of its surroundings. They also wanted a home that would serve as the perfect gathering place for their three grown, married daughters and their own families. Finally, the Alexanders wanted to tear down an existing cabin and repla…