After living for
10 years in a townhouse in a golfing community, Bob and Maureen
Wales could not envision returning to a single-family house and
yard. Both were sure their busy work schedules wouldn't allow time
for the upkeep and maintenance such a home would require. Plus,
Maureen's position as vice president of a publishing company meant
that they needed to stay in close proximity to New York
city.
But a chance invitation to an Alta
Log Home Open House changed their minds, their style of living and
even their professional lives. Bob, whose career in the housing
industry has spanned from sing-family-home builder to realtor to
mortgage banker, eventually added "log home dealer and
builder" to his resume. His and Maureen's company Moe Mountain
Log Homes in Hewitt, N.J., sells and constructs Alta Log Homes in
the New Jersey and New York area.
After the initial
open house that had peaked their interest, Bob and Maureen decided
to investigate log homes more thoroughly and attended a few log
home shows. They eventually came back to Alta, however. "We
liked Alta because of its relative simplicity yet enduring
stability," says Bob.
After making their decision to
build a log home, bob and Maureen then set out to find the perfect
homesite--a task they thought would be difficult due to their need
to be close to the city. "Surprisingly, land searches turned
up many possibilities and our final choice was difficult,"
says Maureen.
They
discovered a beautiful and private lakefront lot of more than an
acre in northern New Jersey. After perusing some old maps, they
learned the spot was in an area referred to as Moe Mountain, aptly
named because of the huge core rock that rises behind the house,
providing privacy to the house and shielding it completely from
the road beyond. The other side of the homesite is bordered by 283
feet of waterfront on Mount Laurel Lake.
Working with Alta, Bob and Maureen designed
the house themselves, the style they like to call
"cottage-chalet." "The home's architecture is
basically of a chalet design but we did incorporate some
cottage-like elements and decor that suits our personal style,"
says Bob.
Construction on their home began in the autumn
of 1998 and was completed by the spring of 1999. The
3,440-square-foot northern white pine home rises three floors from
its lush surroundings. The lower basement level features an
entertainment and exercise room, full bath and what they refer to
as their "business room." "We don't like to call it
an office," says Bob.
The second, or
main, level features a large open great room with a 10-foot-high
natural stone fireplace and a wall of windows to enjoy the
gorgeous views. " The house is situated so that in winter the
sun shines through the great room windows onto the fireplace stone
and helps heat the house," says Bob. The great room also
includes a dining area that enables guests to enjoy the fireplace
and view through the windows.
Also on the main level is a
1,200-square-foot open area that incorporated the kitchen, dinette
for casual eating and a relaxed family room. "I love to
cook," says Bob, "and this arrangement lets all our
guests get involved in the process when we're entertaining."
The
kitchen is Bob's own design and is his pride and glory. Softly
gleaming hickory cabinets line the walls and surround a massive
11-by-3-foot counter-bar. Over this large work-and-eating space
hangs an antique transom taken from a nearby colonial-era home.
Expanses of Corian countertops provide plenty of workspace for Bob
to perform his culinary magic.
The spacious master bedroom and bath is
housed in a wing of the main level. Its soaring cathedral ceiling
mimics the vaulted ceilings found throughout the rest of the
house. Gable windows and glass doors add to the restful nature of
the bedroom suite with panoramic outdoor views and soft incoming
daylight filtered through delicate lace curtains. The large master
bath includes a whirlpool tub that looks over the lake. The hall
from the master suite to the great room leads to a half bath for
guests.
The
third-floor loft includes two bedrooms, complete with large
closets and a full bath. Other areas designed into the home
include a two-car garage, laundry and utility room and "lots
of storage," says Maureen. The gas-fired heating and cooling
system by Lenox as well as the naturally insulating log construction
keep their fuel costs very low throughout the year.
Throughout the home's interior, Bob and Maureen
wanted a harmonious palette of natural colors and material. Like
their home's logs, all wood surfaces are stained clear and the furnishings--from
the leather-upholstered sofas to the softly muted Tiffany-style
lighting--contribute to the home's natural them as does the cut
stone that is used in the foyer's flooring and in other parts of
the house. "We chose to use natural cut stone in areas where
some might have chosen tile," says Bob.
Avid sailors, Bob and Maureen also enjoy
numerous sea- and ocean-themed decorative accents throughout the
house.
Although they subcontracted out much of their home's
construction work, Bob and Maureen jumped in and did quite a bit
of the interior work themselves, such as installing the cabinets
and fixtures, completing the trim work and hanging the doors.
"People building a log home should do some of the work
themselves depending on their time limits and abilities,"
says Bob. "This makes the house mean so much more when it's
finished."
With the lovely setting in which the home is
situated, just as much care was taken to create pleasing outdoor
living spaces as well. A screened porch off the family room is
where Maureen can often be found on summer afternoons. "This
is my favorite place to enjoy my plants and read a book," she
says.
Over 1,200 square feet of cedar decks allow
spectacular views of their natural surroundings. "The deck
off the great room is very high," says Bob. "You're
actually amid the tree tops when you're out there, which is great
for observing the bird life. The lower-deck levels let us watch
active ground wildlife." The deck on the back of the house
reaches right out to the rock formation and is scalloped to follow
its lines. "you can actually reach out an touch the rock,
which is larger than the house," says Bob.
The landscaping was planned to maximize
enjoyment of the flora and fauna surrounding the house. "The
trees that we had to take down in order to build the house were ground
into wood chips," says Bob. "From this we created nature
trails that circle the property from one end to the other."
the trails wind from the lake, past perennial gardens to the top
of the rock formation for a magnificent view.
"Wildlife
flourishes here," says Maureen. "Visits from red tail
hawks, herons, ducks, raccoons, foxes and even black bears are
common. We have friends from New York City who have never seen any
of these!"
Bob and Maureen were so please
with their experience with Alta Log Homes that they became
enthusiastic dealers and builders for them. "When people go
to a log home show, there are thousands there who want to build a
log home, but only a percentage who will overcome their fears or
uncertainty and actually do it," says Bob. "As
representatives of Alta, and based on our own experience in
building our log home, we try to help our customers learn and
decide exactly what they want in a log home and then get them to
the point where they are ready to build."
Deciding
beforehand exactly what you want in a log home and planning
accordingly is the key to getting the results you want, say Bob
and Maureen, who couldn't be happier with their own home.
"our home was designed by us, built by us, and landscaped by
us," says Maureen. "It was created to fit our exact
needs and there is no wasted space and no rooms that are not used
on a frequent basis by us or our guests.
The spacious master bedroom and bath is
housed in a wing of the main level. Its soaring cathedral ceiling
mimics the vaulted ceilings found throughout the rest of the
house. Gable windows and glass doors add to the restful nature of
the bedroom suite with panoramic outdoor views and soft incoming
daylight filtered through delicate lace curtains. The large master
bath includes a whirlpool tub that looks over the lake. The hall
from the master suite to the great room leads to a half bath for
guests.
As
Bob puts it, "There is no more and no less than exactly what
we need and want in our home."
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