A Log Home in Small-Town Colorado

That’s not surprising, given Bob’s 30 years of experience in the building industry, and that he and Judy spent about two years working out the details of their second home near the small town of Fort Garland in southern Colorado. “We had our own design, our own sketches and how we wanted to do it,” says Bob.

Insider Advantage

The couple worked with interior designer Liz Wilson, in Milton, Florida, where they live full time, to balance their individual priorities.

“We have family and friends who come to visit, so it was important to me to have a house that a lot of people would feel comfortable staying in,” says Judy. “And cooking isn’t my strongest point—I like all the help I can get—so I wanted a kitchen that people could work in together without bumping into each other.”

Dream Realized

Inside, porcelain tile floors in colors that echo the natural rock outdoors, along with a fireplace of Cultured Stone that looks as if it could have been collected from the surrounding countryside, all create a “mountain cabin” feel. At the same time, the airy brightness of the house, and the use of color, lighting and both whimsical and graceful artwork—much of it by the Vannersons’ son, Will—inject a flavor of elegance. “We wanted something with a masculine and mountainous feel for Bob but that was refined to the point where Judy felt comfortable, too,” says Liz.

And it’s this balance of shared visions that creates the perfect log home experience.