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…
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…
It began with a passing conversation, and the result was spectacular. Charlene and Jay Wyatt have deep roots in North Carolina, but a magnificent log home, The Meadow, in the tiny town of Cloudcroft, New Mexico, has a special place in their hearts. “The Meadow is our respite,” explains Charlene. “It’s our surrendering place. We liken our home in Cloudcroft to a favorite pair of boots that you reach for naturally. They pull on easy, and the comfort always has you going back to them again and again.” The …
Rebbecca Abair recalls having a passion for designing unique spaces and landscapes her entire life. “As far back as I can remember,” Rebbecca says, “I have been fascinated with small spaces and always pictured myself residing in a little log cabin in the woods.” Her father, a talented design and construction visionary in his own right, taught his little girl how to do roofing, mix concrete, and build all manner of things, from furniture to structures. To date, Rebbecca has designed and built eight diffe…
Childhood memories often play a big role in one’s adult life. For Sylvie Gagnon-Sciortino, the summer vacations she spent at her grandparents place on the shore of a lake in the Lac Supérior region of the Laurentian Mountains in Quebec were just magical. It was a haven of peace, she recalls with emotion. So it is not surprising she would choose to build her small (27-by-24-foot) log cabin in this enchanted location, especially since her family still owns the land and her parents are her nearest neighbor…
Log homes are timeless. So when you’re outfitting a space, like the bathroom, where the fixtures are semi-permanent and not easily (or inexpensively) swapped out, you want get it right the first time. It’s important to make sure that this very utilitarian space looks current but won’t look dated 10 years from now. Plus, this is a space where you can really employ some environmentally friendly tactics that will preserve natural resources and save money on energy costs. Here are a few of our favorite idea…
They call it simply “The Cabin.” On Blue Mountain in the Appalachian Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania just two hours from the bustle of the city, Tony and Dottie Differ own 3,355 square feet of freedom and relaxation. Located in the Eagle Rock Resort near the town of Haverton, The Cabin is one of 1,000 homes in the sprawling 8,800-acre development that offers tremendous amenities, both man made and natural. “It’s a private, gated area containing natural mountainous woodlands with large natural roc…
This living room, just steps inside the front door, is waiting for a family to plop down, put their feet up, and warm themselves by the fire. The cathedral ceiling prevents the large fireplace from overwhelming the space. Numerous windows keep the space filled with natural light.
Now the happy owners of 18 acres in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, the couple spent many days strolling through its meadow and dreaming about enjoying the mountain views it afforded. The couple knew this was the perfect spot to build their dream getaway. They originally owned a small cabin on 11 acres just up the hill from this location, and when seven additional acres became available they jumped at the opportunity to buy. “As luck would have it, the owners of the property adjacent to ours, with a view of tha…
When Cliff and Myrna Williams were ready to build their retirement home, they wanted to duplicate their original log cabin that was built back in 1952 on Big Spider Lake near Hayward, Wisconsin. Constructed by Ted Moody, the log craftsman who built nearby Spider Lake Lodge back in the 1920s, it was decorated in Adirondack style. “We loved our old cabin,” Myrna says. “It was beautiful, but it needed a lot of repair, and it was too close to the water.” When Cliff sold his busi…
The story of the renovated Russell Cabin begins long before the original hand-hewn log building was erected on the Swan Lake shoreline. In addition to the many fine details of the construction project, the cabin’s rich and colorful history merits some words. The first occupants of the “home site” were members of the Native American Kootenai, Flathead, and Blackhead tribes, who set up camps on this sublime stretch of shore in northwest Montana. Not only is the setting at the north end of Swan Lake (where…
With a panoramic view of the mountains and rolling hills, it’s no wonder that these homeowners created an outdoor living room to enjoy year-round. There are two tables for dining al fresco and plenty of comfortable seating around the fireplace.
