A Half-Log Home Delivers Full Satisfaction

With an eye toward the future, the owners of this half-log home in Big Sky, Montana designed a house that’s as organic as it is gorgeous.

Photography by Roger Wade, Courtesy of Expedition Log Homes

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When the mountains of Big Sky Country serve as your back yard, you need a home that harmonizes with the landscape. It takes planning, but that’s exactly what the owners of this Montana half-log home did. Nestled at the base of a crag, the 2,727-square-foot home’s medium-brown stain by Sashco, a manufacturer of high performance caulks, sealants and stains for log and wood homes, and an Owens Corning cultured stone encased turret and foundation give the appearance that the home sprang from the earth.

Inside, the home’s design is as open and inviting as Big Sky itself. “In the great room, we designed enormous glu-lam beams, which eliminated the need for tie-beams and enabled us to keep the space completely open,” says Jan Koepsell, owner of Wisconsin-based manufacturer Expedition Log Homes. Large window walls frame the view and blur the lines between inside and out.

A half-log design meant that spans of drywall could be incorporated, adding diversity and a splash of color — shades that were custom crafted by a Sherwin Williams consultant to complement the interior’s overall color palette.

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The “Gathering Room” conceals another unique convenience both now and in the future. Concealed in the floor, underneath a wicker basket, is a dumbwaiter that leads down into the garage and makes short work of hauling groceries into the adjacent light and bright L-shaped kitchen. But most importantly, the owners planned this home for the long haul. The second-level is devoted to the master bedroom suite; a feature that could pose a problem as they age.

However, the stone turret was engineered so that one day, if needed, the stairs could be removed and an elevator could be installed in its place. Their thoughtful planning — right down to the landscaping — may have just saved their home.

“In 2006, wildfires swept through the area,” says Jan. “Firefighters stood on the owners’ balcony to fight the fire back.” They were successful, perhaps in part to the fact that the couple kept firewood, trees and other combustible foliage away from the structure. As a result, not only can they still enjoy their home, so can their family for generations to come.

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