Most of the year, Paul and Patricia Busto live an enviable distance from both the scenic wind-swept dunes of Long Island’s southern shoreline and the rocky bluffs and pebbled beaches of the northern coast. Yet it’s not the 15-minute jaunt to the water that beckons most often. Instead, it’s a four-hour trek to the mountains of Vermont that calls to them. “We try to get up there every other weekend,” says Paul. Their willingness to frequently leave such a prime location highlights exactly how special their final destination truly is.
The spot that has captured their hearts is their cozy log home, nestled into 160 acres near the state’s popular snow-white ski slopes. As getaway homes go, the Bustos’ place veers far from ostentation, but the modestly sized house is rich in charm and perfectly suited to their lifestyle.
After spending years renting cabins for annual ski trips, the couple decided it was time to purchase a lot and make their log home dreams come true. They reached out to Ryan Holton, owner of RH Log Works, LLC, a representative of Maine-based Moosehead Cedar Log Homes. After listening to their wish list — an open-concept design with three bedrooms, including a primary on the main floor — he pointed them to Moosehead’s “Lakewood” plan. From there, the customizations began. “We made some changes to make it homier — to make it ours,” shares Patricia.
A few of their modifications include expanding the loft, adding a half bath on the main floor, incorporating a spacious mudroom off the entryway (“so everyone can unload their boots and skis,” says Patricia) and moving one of the two guest bedrooms upstairs to ensure privacy for the primary bedroom and weekend visitors alike. They also built a spacious deck to create a welcoming outdoor living space.
With their budget in mind, the couple made several key money-saving moves. They shifted the home’s placement from a plateau deep into their 160-acre property to a wooded area closer to the road, significantly reducing the expense of building and maintaining a long driveway and extending power to the site. They also opted for Moosehead’s 6-by-6-inch cedar log package but enhanced the interiors with square beams and steel elements. To further cut material costs, they shaved 3 feet from the main living area. “It’s cozy, but it works for us,” shares Patricia. They regained square footage by replacing a planned stand-alone garage in favor of a more economical, walk-out lower level, creating a space that now serves as a garage and hobby room, as well as a casual living area.
Continuing their budget-conscious approach, the Bustos embraced the reality that not everything has to be finished at once, choosing to save a few projects for the future. A covered section of the deck will become a screened-in porch, while another reinforced section is prepped for a hot tub. Even without these features, the outdoor living space has already proven to be one of the couple’s favorite spaces. “We love it for morning coffee, cocktails in the afternoon and barbecuing,” shares Patricia. “It’s a very relaxing spot.”
The interiors live large, too, thanks to the seamless flow of the main gathering area, the vaulted ceilings and an abundance of natural light streaming through the wall of prow windows and two sets of glass French doors flanking the living and dining area. “It’s not a huge space, but those elements open it up a little more,” says Paul.
The finishes further enhance the sense of spaciousness. In the kitchen, Patricia selected wood cabinets, rather than painted ones, to allow them to retreat seamlessly into the overall aesthetic. “It helps the whole area seem bigger,” she shares. Alongside the honey tones of the cedar logs, the couple added black, gray and white elements “to keep it classic,” says Patricia.
Looking ahead to the future years of enjoyment, the couple sees their cabin — inside and out — as a standing invitation to escape. “It’s a different world up there,” says Paul. Patricia echoes his sentiments: “It’s just good for your soul; it’s vacation is what it is.”
Home Details
Square footage: 1,600
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 2 full, 1 half
Log Provider/Designer: Moosehead Cedar Log Homes
Weathertight log shell: $159,000
