The large sprawling farm with fenced, hilly pastures appears to be a large ranch. In fact, it is home to Big Springs Resort, the idyllic site of five log homes built by partners Doug Spurber and Charles Rateliff in 2005. These retired Wal-Mart executives each owned a good bit of land near Gravette, Arkansas, and decided to join forces and create a low-impact cabin community. Rateliff had built a Satterwhite log home several years earlier and knew that this company could delive…
It can’t really be said anymore that Montana is a well kept secret. The state has boomed with tourism and a thriving vacation home industry for well over two decades. Montana’s ski resorts, national parks, and trout fishing industries allocate substantial funds for out-of-state advertising to attract year-round visitors and would-be residents alike. “We got really lucky,” says Jason, one such would-be resident, “when we ventured into Red Lodge for a day of sightseeing.” Jason’s mother had grown up in ne…
They say a man’s home is his castle. Such is the case for Mark Robbins, a Vermont native who after many career years as a pilot was happy to reset roots in northeastern Vermont, also known as “The Northeast Kingdom,” referred to by most Vermonters as simply “The Kingdom.” “My home sits on a prominent feature in the middle of my father’s farm,” says Mark. “It’s well back from the town road and, with its elevation, provides 360 degrees of incredible views and vistas of northeastern Vermont’s mountains and…
When Allen Morris’s father first purchased vacation property and built a cottage nestled in the hills of Black Mountain, North Carolina, in 1970, it was with the hope that his children and their children would gather there for years to come. Little did he know then that more than 40 years later, the family’s retreat would grow to encompass five homes, including Allen Morris’s log home and corporate retreat. “As our family grew we built a second cottage and a third cottage and a fourth cottage,” says Mor…
After spectacular kitchens and luxurious master bathrooms, the perfect master bedroom is often at the top of any home buyer’s wish list. The options are endless when you are designing a space that suits your style. You can go for a bold wall color that sets off wood accents or stay with soothing neutral and natural tones. The space can be elegant and refined or rustic and cozy. Being surrounded by things they love inspires some, while choosing minimal decorative items appeals to oth…
Modern design’s clean lines and minimalist décor serve to enhance the structure of a log or timber frame home. Each of the great rooms shown here has a distinct personality and style, and the natural elements such as reclaimed wood and stone are the centerpieces of each space. The balance between rustic and modern can be adjusted to meet your personal taste.
An all neutral color palette looks beautiful in a log home. The tile on the walk-in shower ties the golden brown color of the logs in with the stone floor. Extra storage is provided by a distressed dresser and a Victorian coat rack hanging on the wall. The open ceiling allows for ventilation.
Every home is special, for the simple reason that the people who dwell in them are unique. In the case of homeowners Dan and Suzann Maughon, creating a one-of-a-kind home was a priority. “A long time ago,” begins Dan Maughon, “before Suzann and I were even married, we had a romantic dream of living in a log home in the woods, on a lake, of course.” The couple kept their eyes and ears open for that perfect 10-acre lakefront parcel of land, and then Suzann learned something that resulted in a manifestatio…
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…
