John and Andi Gladstein aren’t kidding when they say they can literally ski in and out of the door of their log cabin home in Big Sky, Montana. Nestled perfectly into a mountainside in Moonlight Basin, and flocked by several thousand acres of raw, beautiful land, the 850-square-foot cottage provides a regular respite for the Gladsteins, who reside in California. “When we get up here, we either put on our skis or hiking boots—depending on the season—and get out into the wild,” s…
Ken Miller acquired property and built a Town & Country Cedar Home nearly 20 years ago. Later, when he married Julie Krenn, the couple stayed squarely put. “There was a fleeting moment,” says Ken, “when we considered starting over from scratch, but after all that had gone into developing this place, the horse stables, riding arena and guest house, it made a whole lot more sense to stay here and make some improvements.” Why look for greener pastures? The setting—170 acres of rolling countryside just …
Fire has descended through the ages of mankind from a necessity for survival to a luxury of comfort and ambience. The earliest shelters were equipped with wood-burning pits, fireplaces, or stoves for cooking and heating. While fireplaces may still serve those primary functions in some households, the majority are designed and installed for pure enjoyment, with an added benefit as a secondary heat…
Whether you are interested in building the log or timber home you have always wanted or purchasing an existing home, financing is often the most challenging aspect of the experience. The landscape for borrowers and lenders appears to be continually changing, particularly in the wake of the prolonged recession that gripped the global economy for years. But don’t despair! Financing is available for both construction and purchases. Interest rates are reasonable and remain stead…
Whether you’re building a cozy cabin, a modest retreat, or a big family getaway, the exterior of your home makes a memorable impression that gives people a sense of what to expect inside. “It sets the tone for the whole house,” says Cassandra Christensen, interior designer and project coordinator for Wisconsin Log Homes in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Curb appeal is important to a home’s resale value, too—prospective buyers may decide whether they even want to look inside based …
“I don’t know quite how to put it,” reflects Joy Clayton, her southern voice smooth, mellow, rich … like molasses. “The simple truth is that wherever we are, when Ken and I are away, we just can’t wait to get back to our cabin. No place has ever felt so much like home, so right for us.” That single observation speaks volumes. Joy’s husband, Kenneth Clayton, is a Baptist minister; as such he and Joy have relocated and lived in many homes during their 48 years of marriage, including three years of ministr…
In 1977, Pierre Roy was a young man, full of energy, and like many of his generation, he dreamed of going back to the land or at least living in the country. So, after reading an article on log home building kits, he thought, “Why not build a log house?” After all, the article said it was easy. “It was an ideal solution for us because it was affordable and we could do it at our own pace,” he explains. The fact that he had no experience in home construction was not an obstacle in his eyes. Had he known a…
We use them for everything from showcasing crystal to storing linens, stacking pots and pans to stowing toiletries. Cabinets are among the most frequently used items in any house, can be a big budget item, and can make or break the look of your kitchen or bath. So it’s no wonder many people have a hard time choosing just the right cabinets! You want cabinets that will enhance the beauty of your home, but they must be durable and easy to care for. You’ll need to consider style, fini…
Collect heat from the sun through windows. Ideally, windows should face within 30 degrees of due south. Absorb that heat with a storage element such as a masonry wall, a stone floor, or a water container that sits in the direct path of the sunlight. Store the heat you’ve soaked up within that wall, floor, or container. The right materials will do that naturally. Distribute heat from the storage element to different areas of the house via conduction (the way heat moves through …
Although Tom and Mariann Nolan owned a vacation log home in Big Sky, Montana, the construction of a new log and timber home taking place nearby several years ago captured their imaginations. With a style reminiscent of the architecture found in Yellowstone National Park, Bear Basin Ranch seemed the perfect retreat. “We visited Bear Basin often during the building stage, and we were impressed with the quality and the architecture,” says Tom Nolan, whose primary home is in California…
When Niles and Ginger Hushka went in search of all they wanted in a timber frame home with an incomparable mountain setting, they got smart—in more ways than one. First, they surrounded themselves with a construction and design team that provided seamless coordination and a depth of experience seldom found in producing their 4,600-square-foot, four-bedroom, 41/2-bath timber frame home in the Aspen Springs development near Bozeman, Montana. Second, they decided that technology would be a watchword for th…
Building that perfect log or timber home is a process that many people pursue only once or twice in a lifetime, so the benefit of personal experience is often rare. Considering the first major step, which is the comparison of quotes from qualified log and timber companies, advice from experienced professionals is pure gold. “The most important thing going in is to determine what you want and need,” assesses Mathew Sterchi, vice president of sales…
