A Rustic, Yet Modern Log Home Hunting Lodge
The owners of this log home approached designer Michael Grant of Modern Rustic Homes with a vision of a European hunting lodge but with modern amenities. The result is a home that looks like it grew out of the mountains and is characterized by 8-by-16-inch, hand-hewn white pine logs with French dovetail corners, as well as timber-frame elements and indigenous materials, most visibly stone.
The home also makes use of curved lines for the tops of windows and doors, the loft railing, arched collar ties and steps leading to the lodge, all intended to create architectural alliteration.
Openness characterizes the layout, yet the living areas are clearly distinguished, either with architectural details or functional groupings. The layout allows for a casual flow throughout the 2,036-square-foot main level. Concentrating on visual sightlines, Grant centered the foyer so people entering the home see straight through to the great room view. The loft sitting area also commands a view through the great room windows, as well as a close-up of the dramatic ceiling.
New technology balances the Old World look, starting with the ability to dial up the house prior to arrival to adjust the inside temperature, turn on the lights, even heat up the hot tub. There’s also a state-of-the-art media system and a home theater with advanced optics and sound.
Unique Materials Make a Unique Log Home
Altogether, the home uses 16 species of wood. It features reclaimed and recycled materials for both exterior and interior finishes, where appropriate. The interior includes pecky cypress, wormy chestnut, oak barn wood, alder, aspen, hemlock and “mushroom board” — lumber that was salvaged from mushroom farms and power washed to remove the soil and reveal a heavily textured grain pattern, then applied to the kitchen, guest bedrooms and a powder room.
The floors were recycled from a century-old warehouse and pre-finished to eliminate any volatile organic compounds. The multi-pitched roof uses synthetic slate made of recycled plastic.