Nestled in the mountains of Bitterroot Valley, Montana, this beautiful timber house is home to a pair of outdoor enthusiasts who had dreamed all their lives of residing in a quiet, serene setting away from the hustle and bustle of cities where they worked, including New York, Chicago, and Baltimore. When it came time to retire and build a dream home that would not only accommodate them now but also well into the future, they selected a timber home made to look like a traditional log home. “From the outs…

There’s an old saying that goes, “It takes hands to build a house, but only hearts can build a home.” The truth is, it takes both hands and heart to build a home that reflects your family’s lifestyle and values. By putting their trust in skilled craftsmen who truly listened, Casey and Rita Trumble have built a home that’s as much sanctuary as it is shelter. Nestled among the trees on the banks of the Wisconsin River in Wisconsin Dells, the Trumbles have been planning their home for a long time. Both Rit…

A Florida couple finds peaceful respite in a hybrid log and timber home on the shores of Tennesee’s Douglas Lake. “My husband was born and raised in Florida,” begins Melinda Kolar, “where our primary home is located. I’m from Hendersonville, North Carolina, and ever since leaving I have missed the changing of the seasons that occurs there. Tom and I frequently discussed the possibility of having a second home farther north.” When Tom and Melinda’s two children enrolled at Tennessee colleges (son at the …

When a Connecticut family began working with architect Reid Smith to design a vacation retreat in Big Sky, Montana, they emphasized that the overall feeling they wanted to have upon entering the final product would be less “ooh” and more “ahh.” “The homeowners wanted their vacation retreat to have a comfortable, cozy feeling,” says Smith, founder of Reid Smith Architects in Bozeman, Montana. “The house is large, but they wanted intimate spaces throughout with rich finishes and livability. This house doe…

Mike and Marta had been looking for lakeside property in the southern states, from Texas to the South Carolina coast, over a period of 10 years, using much of their vacation time to explore and camp in search of their little slice of heaven. Criteria for the couple’s property search included enough ground to “feel like country” while being in close proximity to a city. They found it in 2002 when they went to check out Old Hickory Lake in central Tennessee, a place they learned about in a real estate mag…