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.
Whitefish, Montana, is a destination resort town offering year-round recreational opportunities. You name it and Whitefish has it. Skiing, snowmobiling, hiking, mountain biking, boating, fishing, and golfing make it a desirable location for ski bums and retirees alike. For John and Susan Witt, Whitefish is, more than anything, about community. “We bought property in Whitefish because it had all the elements we were looking for in a future retirement property,” says Susan Witt. “We enjoy all that t…
“Kurt developed a love for the mountains in the summer of 1974, after attending a geology field camp in Wyoming,” says Kurt’s wife, Patricia. “I imagined building a beach house, but both of us have a tremendous love and respect for the beauty of nature, be it seaside or mountains.” When the couple began considering a second home, a real estate ad in the Wall Street Journal caught their attention, and Kurt and Patricia traveled from Houston to Estes Park, Colorado, to check out the property. “We were loo…
One look at DB Ranch and the words “downright breathtaking” are sure to come to mind. Situated on 150 acres of natural, untouched acreage in the Bitterroot Valley region of Montana, the sprawling log cabin home is both inviting and regal at the same time. And at 8,000 square feet, the home has the appearance of a bed and breakfast or lodge. That’s exactly what the owners envisioned when they purchased the home and land back in 1990. The structure was much smaller at the time and took up just 1,000 squar…
The perfect symmetry, soaring fireplace, and window grilles give this great room the breathtaking quality of a cathedral. Although it has a wood ceiling and floor and is encased with large logs, the large windows and stucco walls keep it light…
Every year, magazines ranging from Cosmo to Consumer Reports give their lists of what’s “in” and what’s “out.” When it comes to housing, what’s in IS what’s out—outdoor living spaces, that is. As the square footage and footprints of homes continue to shrink in size (see Big Trend: Small Homes on page 16), people are finding innovative ways to maximize their living space, and the concept of the “outdoor room” is at the forefront of the movement. Log home…
Brad Norris graduated with a degree in architecture from Auburn University 25 years ago. His early career began with collaborating on projects in Greece, then he returned to the States, making Nashville, Tennessee his home for over two decades. Starting his own firm, Norris Architecture, in 2003, Brad, in his own words, creates “environments that utilize the primary principles of design: utility, durability, and beauty, to produce end results that reflect the unique character of each client.” Norris’s e…
Kevin and Helen Hulick had been living in the New Hampshire countryside, not far from Brattleboro, Vermont, for nearly a decade. They were reasonably comfortable in their modest gray clapboard home, situated at the bottom of a hill on a quiet residential road. “I bought the gray house back in 1986,” says Kevin. “Quite honestly, it was old and cold! Because of its location, at the bottom of the hill where the runoff collected, the foundation had given way over the years and the floors were tilted, defini…
“To say the house left much to be desired is a huge understatement,” says Sonia, “but the astounding view and setting were unparalleled … our hearts were captured at first sight.” Enough so that she and her husband, Scott, were inspired to purchase the Montana property, fully realizing that ahead of them lay lots of creative planning, building costs, and plain old-fashioned elbow grease. At their primary residence in Texas, Scott’s job as a banker keeps him operating at peak performance at all times. Hi…
Before they even knew each other, Mike and Renee Wright had both harbored dreams of someday living in a log cabin. Once they married in 2000, there was no question what kind of home they’d build on their 19 acres in the high valley of Crested Butte, Colorado, to accommodate their growing family, now made up of five kids and two dogs. But this wouldn’t be just any log cabin, explains Mike. “We wanted giant logs for a big, lodgey feel, like the Yellowstone lodge.” Realizing that dream…
