Growing families, additional indoor or outdoor entertaining space, accommodations for overnight guests, and storage needs are just a few of the reasons that homeowners choose to add on to their existing residences. Depending on the circumstances, the process typically involves an assessment of existing structures, land usage, and particularly the look, feel, and utilitarian result the owner hopes to achieve. Owners of both log and traditionally constructed homes experience ev…
The Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions offer a wide variety of terrain and climate that is great for log & timber homes. If your ideal spot is a remote area surrounded by trees, you can find that here. Or you can have the benefits of log & timber living but be near an urban center and its amenities. If a water view or waterfront property makes you happy, this part of North America has plenty to offer. The regions have a long tradition of log & timber frame construction and your new home will…
Mike and Julie McGlynn had vacationed on Bay Lake in Northern Minnesota for years, often boating past a quaint 1933 log cabin located on a popular causeway called Echo Point. When the property came up for sale in 2001, they jumped at the chance to purchase the lot and its dilapidated buildings. “It was always sort of a dream to find a vintage log home,” says Mike McGlynn. “We wanted a place to spend time with our daughters, their husbands, and our seven grandchildren.” The prev…
If you are in the process of designing a log home, or just dreaming about it, this room-by-room list is designed to spark your imagination and help ensure that you include all of your needs and wants in your floorplan. Photo by Karl Neumann Great Rooms 1. Position windows to “frame” the picture of your view. 2. Anchor a large living area with a stone fireplace; it will provide a natural focal point in harmony with the outdoors. 3. Use hand-forged log straps to add a custom touch to your home. 4. Give yo…
“We just love being here,” remarks Bill Ray, gazing out over North Carolina’s Cataloochee and Smoky Mountain ranges. “It’s worth every mile and minute of the 71/2-hour drive it takes us to get here from Indianapolis.” Located at Cherry Hill, a rural development near Waynesville, North Carolina, the Ray cabin is situated on four-plus acres, but the astounding views make it feel like 4,000. “My heart has always been in the Smokies,” chimes in Bill’s wife, Louise. “My parents brought my twin sister and I d…
Ken Miles and Margo McKinney were leading very busy professional lives in the greater Baltimore area. Margo, a retired school principal, had taken up a second career in real estate sales. Ken worked as a sheet metal developer at Middle River Aircraft Systems. The couple had discussed living in a log home in their retirement years and agreed that a quieter, simpler life in the country was their vision for the future. They began to focus attention on their retirement goal, but couldn’t find property that …
Amy and Bill Richardson fell in love with Grand Lake, Colorado—and the dream of a mountain vacation home—at the same time they fell in love with one another. “We met in grad school, and right after graduation from our two-year MBA program, we got in the car and hit 23 states in 26 days,” Amy says. The couple’s journey took them through the Rocky Mountain National Park and Grand Lake. “Grand Lake’s marketing slogan is ‘America’s front porch,’ and it really does look l…
Shiny metal vessel sinks sit atop a rustic wood countertop in this light-filled bathroom. The sink hardware was mounted on the wall to save counter space. The owners get a nice view of the outdoors in the large mirror while standing at the sink. Double vanities are a nice luxury in a master bathroom. The striations in the stone used on the tub surround mimic the logs on the outer wall. The owners can relax in the large t…
When Paul and Debby Kenney began planning their dream log home while they were dating during the mid-2000s, the couple envisioned a retirement home they could enjoy growing old together, surrounded by picture-perfect views in southern Colorado. “We wanted this to be a home that we could live in as long as we wanted to,” says Paul, who is retired from the U.S. military and his most recent career as a high school ROTC instructor. “We love Colorado, and we wanted to spend our retirement years her…
When you hear the word “roof” probably the first image that pops into your head is the tried and true asphalt shingle roof that is ubiquitous in the United States. When you dream of your log home, you most likely envision a more rustic roof that will complement the wood and architectural style you have selected. The good news is that you can have a beautiful roof that enhances your log home and is also durable, sustainable, and energy-efficient. If you are co…
Like many members of the Stock Farm Club on the slopes of the Bitterroot Valley in western Montana, the owners of this spacious house chose a Rocky Mountain Log Home that blends seamlessly with its rocky, wooded environment. The Stock Farm Club, a golf club development owned by Charles Schwab, covers 2,600 acres on the mountainside and offers a variety of home settings as well as a log clubhouse lodge and other amenities. Architect Jeremy Oury of Kibo Group designed the home for this …
For Brian and Tracey Stratton, the log home they wanted was more than worth the wait; rather, it was a goal that they worked steadily to achieve. On a 14-acre wooded homesite in central Wisconsin, the idea took shape, and the result is just what they planned. However, the time table was a bit longer. “We wanted a warm, homey feeling, and I think we succeeded,” comments Tracey. “I also wanted to be able to decorate with antiques, so I did not want too much of a modern look to the house. Another thing I d…
