A Home Named ‘Big Stix’
A Home Named ‘Big Stix’

Comfort and Livability

Jerry Locati believes the sky is the limit when it comes to evolving trends in architecture and interior design. Perhaps that’s why his designs are boundless. With a Masters of Architecture degree from Montana State University, and an architecture internship spent gaining experience and professional skills, Jerry Locati establ…

Heaven on Earth

Heaven’s Landing, a unique residential airpark community, is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northeast Georgia, about three miles from the city of Clayton. The 635-acre gated development is surrounded by thousands of acres of National Forest.   “My wife, Jan, and I have a 1.5-acre lot at Heaven’s Landing,” says Tom Nasser, “but it came with a million dollar view.” Owners of a Cirrus SR22 airplane, the couple met Mike Ciochetti, developer of Heaven’s Landing, during the annual Cirrus Mig…

Close to Heaven

Mother Nature outdid herself imbuing mountains, ocean, and lush forests into the Pacific Northwest. The outdoors becomes integrated into the lifestyle in these environs. It’s an opportunity that doesn’t go unnoticed for one former Seattle family now residing just outside the Bavarian-like town of Leavenworth, Washington. As avid hikers and skiers the active threesome, mom, dad, and son, often find themselves outside as much as inside. This led them to seriously considering buying a vacation home over a …

A Mountain Refuge, A Log-Friendly Development

When it comes to majestic mountains paired with unique woodland beauty, Montana’s Bitterroot Valley doesn’t need much help. Guarded by the rounded, lightly forested Sapphire Mountain range to the east, the glacial, rugged Bitterroot Range to the west, and canopied by a crystal-clear sky, this low-lying gem is awash in natural beauty. Yet, in 1996, the region’s lush surroundings got a definite boost—the Stock Farm community was born.  Actually, Stock Farm can trace its roots back to 1888, when coppe…

No Compromises

What do you get when you combine luxury living in Montana with a beautiful, rustic, log cabin home? The end result is the ultimate second home nestled at The Yellowstone Club, an exclusive residential club, ski resort, and golf resort in eastern Madison County, Montana. Situated just west of Big Sky, south of Bozeman, and northwest of Yellowstone National Park, Yellowstone Club is operated by Discovery Land Company and offers a variety of options for premier mountain living. The club’s home sites provid…

Eco-Friendly Fireplaces, Wood Stoves, & Alternatives

Nothing sets a cozy, romantic mood like the crackle of a fire in the fireplace. The smell, the warmth and the glow can make a house feel like home. But for heating purposes, are fireplaces or stoves an environmentally-sound choice? The answer depends on the fireplace or stove you choose, the fuel you use and how you operate it.  Traditional wood-burning fireplaces can lose as much as 90 percent of their heat through the chimney, making them less than ideal as a primary heat source. Luckily, today t…

17 Design Ideas For Outdoor Spaces

Outdoor spaces 1. Consider putting a small swimming pool in a screened-in porch; you can enjoy a refreshing swim while still being protected from the sun. 2. Think about creating outdoor space up high for a different perspective on your property. Perfect for stargazing! 3. Add a fireplace to a covered deck for an outdoor room you’ll enjoy even on the chilliest nights. 4. Add a ceiling fan to your screened porch or covered deck to keep air moving when you can’t c…

18 Bathroom Design Ideas

1. Allow light and air into your bathroom with plenty of windows. If privacy is an issue, add frosting or attractive window treatments. 2. Use a pedestal sink in a small space. You may lose some storage, but your floor space will look much bigger. 3. Get creative with fixtures. A slender tree with extending branches is a natural choice for hanging towels. 4. Use an antique wooden ladder instead of a towel bar. 5. Choose a copp…

To DIY or Not to DIY

Serious research, careful planning, and good old sweat equity help put the brakes on cost when building that perfect log home. Each lends itself to a more reasonable bottom line, bringing value and satisfaction to the process while potentially lowering the “hassle factor.” While research and planning are basic, some log home owners choose to invest their own talent and expertise during the construction process, performing certain tasks themselves rather than paying a premium for contracted services. Fro…

Money-Saving Kitchen Ideas

In every issue we will bring you money-saving ideas for your new log home.  This time we focus on kitchens. Include a functional built-in pantry. Save money on purchasing a tall pantry cabinet from your cabinet supplier and make a pantry closet on the job site. Use commercial-grade, long-lasting shelving for super function, recommends Susan Serra, a certified kitchen designer in Huntington, New York.  Use open shelves. Open shel…

Building for Retirement

Retirement is a phase of our lives that requires very careful planning. In addition to making sure that we have enough monetary security to comfortably embark upon retirement status, deciding on where to live and what type of home to dwell in is nearly as important. Mark Elliott, vice president of New Hampshire-based Coventry Log Homes, celebrating its 20-year anniversary in 2014, says his company produces 25 to 30 percent of their homes for retirees. “The volu…

A New (Old) Oregon Farmhouse

As the owner of Oregon Log Homes, Mike Neary has nearly 40 years of experience supplying and building custom log homes around the country. From weekend cabins to large-scale commercial projects (including Disney’s Fort Wilderness Lodge in Orlando, Florida), he’s pretty much seen it all. So when the time came for Mike and his wife, Patti, to build on their property near Dufur, Oregon, he had a pretty good idea of what he wanted. In this case, what the Nearys wanted was a home that would bl…