David and Melissa Hatter have always felt right at home in Big Sky, Montana, even though they are also quite used to the bustle of the big city of Atlanta, Georgia. Melissa works as a director of information technology, while David is an entrepreneur and owner of financial services companies with a “passion for leading people to financial security.” It seems the wide open spaces and breathtaking mountain vistas of Montana provide the couple with another sense of well-being—one that is priceless. They re…

A milled log home basks in the afternoon sun, tucked neatly into a hill for protection against the elements. The strategic placement of vertical siding and subtle timber frame accents adds interest to the horizontal logs. This log home blends perfectly into its setting in the Michigan woods. Deep green trim and cedar shingles enhance the unique roofline. The covered entryway welcomes its owners and their visitors. Yankee Bar…

When Judy and Richard Steed of Fort Worth, Texas, began planning their retirement home, they wanted a place where they could retreat from the busyness of their normal routine. While visiting their daughter’s home in Montana several years ago, the couple discovered The Stock Farm Club, a private, golf-based community nestled in the Bitterroot Valley. They loved it and decided to purchase a lot in the Mountain Home sites, tucked in the foothills of the Sapphire Mountains.  “We wanted to be …

When builder Rick Riddle of R & R Builders Co. in Denver, North Carolina, saw the Bitterroot home design from MossCreek, he knew it would be instantly attractive to homebuyers. “MossCreek is a residential design firm that creates custom designs. We also work from a portfolio of existing designs that can be modified to a client’s needs,” says Allen Halcomb, president of MossCreek. “The Bitterroot is one of our most popular existing designs.” A strong, well-considered design will attract even the most…

Tim and Daphne Livingstone don’t have to change their latitude to change their attitude these days. All they have to do is make a right-hand turn onto the road where their log cabin home is located to enter a “stress-free” zone where natural surroundings, a tranquil setting, and a 2,632-square-foot log home join forces to create a sanctuary for good living.  “Since moving into our home my whole temperament has changed,” says Daphne, an events coordinator at the California University of Pennsylvania…

The Madison Valley ranch had been part of Montana history for decades. Showing signs of wear and tear from so many years of grazing and ranching activity, it was in dire need of someone to love and preserve it. “The new owners wanted to bring the ranch back to its original state in the early 1900s,” explains JoDean Bing from Blue Ribbon Builders, “when it served as a stagecoach stop as well as a working livestock ranch. But the primary design objective, in simple terms, was to create a fly fishing haven…

Kristie McAden was born and raised in the mountains of North Carolina. Her husband, Mike, had always lived on the North Carolina coast. The two met while attending college at Appalachian State University in Boone, and the rest is happy history. “Mike and I started dating and pretty much saw everything eye to eye right from the start,” says Kristie, “Throughout the years of our marriage, that compatibility has remained, including our tastes in home design.” After graduating from ASU Kristie and Mike bega…

Perched high on a hill overlooking Lake Blue Ridge in Georgia, Kevin and Shaun McCarthy’s log home has become their escape from the everyday hustle and bustle of Atlanta.   “This home is amazing,” Kevin says. “If you look at all that log and wood, the one thing that stands out is that it was all done by hand.”  The couple chose PrecisionCraft Log & Timber Homes as their log home designer after flying to the company’s headquarters in Idaho to see its 19th-century techniq…

A honeymoon is that time of marriage overflowing with joy and replete with opportunities. Dreams woven. Secrets spoken. Plans laid. It was no different for Mike and Maria Alderson during their short but sweet honeymoon at Petit Jean Mountain, Arkansas, following a St. Valentine’s Day wedding in 1987. “We only had a weekend for our honeymoon,” Maria recalls, explaining why they selected a log cabin resort called Tanyard Springs that was near their home. “We discovered that we loved being in the log cabin…

For a retired financier from South Carolina, the Blue Ridge Mountains proved to be the ideal getaway spot for relaxing and enjoying the outdoors. Since 2009, he and his family have enjoyed visiting their sprawling vacation log home in Highlands, North Carolina—a stunning location tucked away at 4,000 feet above sea level.  “This homeowner likes the atmosphere that Highlands has to offer as a place to get away and to not be concerned about everything happening in the world,”…

After spending 30 years in the San Francisco Bay area, Rick and Janice were looking for a simple, quiet spot to retire. They found the ideal community just southeast of Coeur d’Alene in northern Idaho, where they built their 3,120-square-foot home on a 130+ acre property. Known for its rugged beauty, the area offers year-round recreation opportunities as well as plenty of space for solitude. Rick and Janice built the home for a lifetime, adhering to the standards set by the Americans with Disabilities A…