At the turn of this century, Greg Bain, a second-generation custom homebuilder, embarked with his wife, Clare LaMeres, on a mission  to find the finest location on Flathead Lake to build their dream home. No stone would go unturned in their quest to discover the piece of Montana waterfront land that would meet their stringent requirements.   Greg and Clare wanted a location that felt secluded and private, preferably an “end of the road” spot, near shopping and conveniences. They also wanted a …

One would never assume that the country cabin belonging to Mike and Clarice Cryder is a “second” home. It’s lived in, inhabited to the point of comfort akin to a favorite bathrobe and pair of slippers. The mudroom (a spacious slate-floored closet with custom cabinetry) harbors every sort of weather garment and footwear a person could want or, more importantly, need in the mountainous terrain of Red Lodge, Montana. “Our primary residence is in Billings,” says Clarice, “but Mike and I take every opportuni…

There’s just something about Jeff and Robyn Call’s log cabin home that makes people—its owners included—pause and take a deep breath as they cross the threshold. “The smell of the wood and the logs literally takes your breath away; it’s the first thing I noticed when we walked into the home eight years ago,” says Robyn, who adds that the couple considered both ground-up building projects and those that were already constructed during their search for the right second home. In the end, they selected a sp…