Set atop a slope overlooking the rocky Sierra Blanca mountains of southern New Mexico, a log home offers refreshing front row seats to snow-capped peaks during sizzling desert summers. The juxtaposed views are fitting for a place founded on contrast.
Inside, the rustic logs continue to steal the show at every turn, thanks to their imposing 16- to 18-inch diameters and special finish. “Most companies use a drawknife to remove the bark, but we use a water process that leaves the cambium layer intact, which has its own satiny sheen,” Robert explains. “It retains what Mother Nature has provided and showcases the natural beauty of the wood.”
But the logs are far from the only eye-catching element throughout the interior. Against the plaster-finish backdrop of the walls, undulating woodwork wraps around baseboards, doors and windows in place of traditional, straight-lined trim. Unusual wood details even show up underfoot, from the “river” of wood slices flowing throughout the log end flooring to the basket-weave wood and tile flooring in the kitchen.
“There are a lot of unique details in this house, but what’s really cool is that it shows the possibilities of what a log home can be,” says Robert. “Some people still have this idea of a log home being antiquated, and that’s just not the case at all. This house showcases that perfectly.”
Home Details
Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 4 full, 1 half
Log Provider/Designer/Builder: Summit Log & Timber Homes