The Log Home Floor Plan Blog

Mark and Crystal were an Oregon couple who wanted to build a winter home that would accommodate their cold-weather hobbies. Inspired by the natural beauty of their Mt. Hood location and the idea of living sustainably, they wanted their home to be a winter escape that could still maintain consistent temperatures throughout the year. With the help of PrecisionCraft Log and Timber Homes and its architectural firm, Mountain Architects, the couple was able to build a stunning winter retreat that became the first true log home to receive a LEED Platinum Certification. Read Mark and Crystal’s inspired living story of how they made their winter home super-efficient as well as tailored to their needs.

Log Home Living announces the winners of its 12th annual Floor Plan Design competition. See all the winners in the April 2010 issue (now on newsstands).

PrecisionCraft’s Montclaire floor plan is named winner in the “Over 4,000 Sq. Ft. Category.”

“Expansive, Yet Inviting. The Montclaire plan is about more than mere size. Rather than allow the space to wander, the plan staggers and compartmentalizes rooms effectively, leaving openness where it makes sense but providing several semi-secluded niche rooms to optimize the use of the home. Highlights are the hearth room adjoining the kitchen and the sitting area of the master suite, with its own fireplace. The covered patio, also with a fireplace, is the kind of touch that enriches a larger home. In addition, the home presents a thoroughly modern look by integrating square-log walls, custom timber frame elements, eye catching stonework and shingle siding to create a balance that prevents any one building element from overwhelming.” ~Log Home Living, April 2010

2010 Design Winner: Log Home Plan | Montclaire Custom Wood Home

PrecisionCraft’s custom designed home in Government Camp, Oregon is named winner in the “Energy-Efficient Design” Category.

“Livability, plus Sustainability. Submitted for LEED’s Platinum certification, the Ryan Home plan reveals the ability to design and build a full-log home that is both energy efficient and full of distinctive character and style. The rooms are grouped sensibly around the core great room, but extras like the den and bar accommodate the owner’s lifestyle. Among the green design features are extra-large roof overhangs and windows designed to let in the sun during winter and keep out the high summer sun. In addition, the home takes advantage of tight-fitting log connections and a building system that incorporates structural insulated roof panels to achieve an R-value of 52.” ~Log Home Living, April 2010

2010 Design Winner: Custom Log Home Design | Mountain Style Home

This custom log home, recognized in Country’s Best 2009 Design Awards, features a gourmet kitchen. Here are the features that make this kitchen truly a work of art:

• Seamless boundary between the indoor and outdoor living space.
• Opening, glass wall that lets the outside in.
• A convenient large pantry featuring an oven stack.
• Open design with the kitchen flowing effortlessly to the dining area.
• Two, separate sinks and work areas.
• Butler’s area.
• Expansive pantry storage positioned behind the appliances.
• Custom interior design elements include: a concrete sink laden with pebbles, stucco walls, and tile murals.
• Knotty alder cabinets.
• Kitchen island finished with barn wood siding.
• Cedar logs walls.

View our collection of log home kitchens at our Facebook Page or at our Log Home Kitchen Photo Gallery at www.PrecisionCraft.com!

PrecisionCraft and Mountain Architects receive top recognition in the 2009 Log Homes Design Awards!  Hosted by Country’s Best, the contest’s judges included the magazine’s editors and contributors.  “We thought we’d pack this, our first annual Country’s Best Log Homes Design Awards, with page after page of the most stellar designs the log home industry has to offer,” said the magazine editors.

There were ten categories ranging from Best Staircase Design to Best Master Suite.  Take a look at these five “stellar” floor plans, designed by Mountain Architects, that took center stage in this year’s design contest.

Best Plan Over 2,500 Square Feet:  The Trailside Log Home Plan

What the judges had to say:

“Sometimes an expansive floor plan can make a home feel more like a museum, but that’s not the case here. Atmosphere-inducing design details create a cozy feel, even with a large footprint.”

“Although the multiple living spaces were designed for a specific purpose, the rooms were laid out in a way that creates an overall plan that flows seamlessly, making the home easy to navigate.” Get a closer look at the Trailside floor plan.

Best Use of Exterior Space:  The Washington Harbor Log Home Plan

A single level with lots of character, the Washington Harbor was designed specifically to blend in with its surroundings. The design is drawn at 2,366 sq.ft.  Here is what the judges loved most about this custom design:

“Walk out of this timber-heavy design and you’re instantly greeted by a sprawling patio, designed to take advantage of your gorgeous setting.”

“This outdoor living space combines the best aspects of an indoor great room with the open air of outside.  Access to this amazing space is gained through the large NanaWall system, which .  .  .  creates a seamless transition from the indoors out.”  Close up of the Washington Harbor log home floor plan.

Most Creative Log Home Master Bedroom Suite: The Rockpoint Floor Plan (Modification)

Designed as a milled log home, the Rockpoint is a popular plan.  Using the original design as inspiration, the homeowners modified the plan to get this award-winning master suite.  Here is what the judges had to say:

“An arched entryway to the bedroom adds dramatic flair to this setting, as does the vaulted ceiling. Private entry to a covered porch with a view completes the five-star hotel effect.”

“Adjacent to the entry hallway—which gives it a presidential-suite feel—a private, bay-window-encased nook can contain the perfect sitting room or walk-in closet.”  See the original Rockpoint design.

Other Plans by Mountain Architects Recognized

Multi-Level Log Home Plan:  The Hidden Creek Floor Plan

The Hidden Creek is drawn as a handcrafted log home design with timber frame accents. The three levels provide room for extra bedrooms, a large mudroom and a basement-level 3-car garage.

See if the Hidden Creek is your idea of the best multi-level mountain style floor plan.

Most Creative Kitchen: The Hermosa Vista Log Home Plan (Modification)

The Hermosa Vista has a kitchen that flows from the formal dining area and out onto the patio, through the innovative NanaWall™ window.  A convenient large pantry with extra oven is the envy of most amateur chefs.

See the entire Hermosa Vista floor plan.  Let it inspire your own ideas of perfection.

The Montclaire timber frame home plan receives the “Best 5 Plans” Award in Timber Home Living’s 3rd Annual Floor Plan contest. This award marks PrecisionCraft’s 12th design award in 2 years, making PrecisionCraft and its design firm the leader in log and timber home design.

Created by Mountain Architects, PrecisionCraft’s experienced team of timber frame home designers, the Montclaire floor plan is praised for its creative design in Timber Home Living’s April 2008 issue. Donna Peak – Timber Home Living’s Managing Editor writes:

“How can you not love a plan that takes so many outstanding modern amenities (four fireplaces, anyone?) and packages them with English manor-house style? From the exterior alcove, you enter the impressive foyer, which, with its gently arced staircase and adjacent formal library and dining room, is sure to make a genteel first impression. But move just beyond and a true 21st-century home unfolds before you. The spacious great room leads the way toward a kitchen layout that’s totally in tune with the times, boasting a cooktop island and ample bump-out pantry, not to mention a cozy breakfast nook. The nearby laundry/mudroom is perfectly placed to make unloading groceries from the three-car garage a breeze, plus it offers a family coat closet, leaving the guest closet to, well, the guests. The huge master bedroom and bath, with its private covered patio and hot tub, make this suite sumptuously sweet. Upstairs, a half level gives you the extra room you need without the fuss (or expense) of a full second story. And the L-shaped loft is large enough to be divided into specific zones for reading, shooting pool, whatever activities tickle your fancy. The only thing this plan is missing is you.”

Mountain Architects’ designers focus on the design of mountain style homes – full log homes, timber frame homes, hybrid log & timber homes, and homes constructed using conventional framing with log & timber accents. With a full palette of materials to work with, it is easy for Mountain Architects to design a home that meets each client’s unique aesthetic preference and budget.

PrecisionCraft.com features 70+ floor plans. Exploring this extensive timber & log home floor plan gallery is a great way for clients to generate ideas for their own unique homes. With Mountain Architects architectural expertise and specialization in green building, design options are unlimited. Also, visit PrecisionCraft.com to get more information on designing, manufacturing, and building timber frame homes. Or call 800.729.1320 to speak to a timber frame home consultant.

Log Home Living’s 10th Annual Floor Plan Contest Votes PrecisionCraft’s Caribou the “Best of the Best.”

Created by Mountain Architects, PrecisionCraft’s experienced team of log home designers, the Caribou plan hit the limelight last year when it was recognized by Log Home Design for 2007’s “Best Single-Level Floor Plan.”

Since its feature in Log Home Design, PrecisionCraft’s Caribou log home plan has staked its reign over most log home floor plans. And, the many accolades continue into 2008. The Caribou plan is voted “Best of the Best” in Log Home Living’s 10th Annual Floor Plan contest.

The Caribou, as highlighted in Log Home Living’s April 2008 issue, is favored by the 3rd party judges for its single-level floor plan living, split bedroom layout, integration with the outdoors, and use of a massive three-fireplace structure. Also voted as the Editors’ Pick, the Caribou floor plan was a shoe-in for this awards contest. Katherine Schuster, Log Home Living’s Editorial Assistant writes, “This plan had us at hello – literally. The unconventional angled entry porch adds a unique architectural element to the home from the moment you set foot inside the door. The rest of the home is just as captivating: The communal areas blend together seamlessly, and the transition to outdoor living space is just as effortless, providing an ideal setup for entertaining. A three-fireplace structure that can be enjoyed from the living room, outdoor patio or master bedroom extends the cohesiveness to the bedroom wing. The handcrafted log home is cozy and intimate without being cramped, and therefore will surely have us for many years to come.”

Mountain Architects’ designers, Michael Ray & Tim Schafer, have hit a hot button with the design of the Caribou and have set the bar for the rest of the industry. The level of technical proficiency at Mountain Architects and the 125 years of combined experience in high-end, mountain style architecture have positioned Mountain Architects as the leader in mountain style design across the United States.

The team of designers at Mountain Architects can take any standard floor plan featured at PrecisionCraft.com and redesign it to match your product choice (handcrafted log, milled log, timber frame, or a combination of materials), architectural style, and budget. Your design options are unlimited. Visit PrecisionCraft.com to check out 65+ additional log home floor plans. Also, get more information on designing, manufacturing, and building luxury log homes.

What is the purpose of showcasing different log home floor plans?

To inspire you. To get you thinking about your own unique home – whether it be a rustic log home, an artfully crafted timber frame home, or a hybrid home.  Close your eyes for a moment and imagine walking through the door of your getaway mountain retreat. What do you see when you first walk into your home? Rustic log pillars? A view of the mountainside outside the glass wall facing you? How do you plan to use your home – to entertain? Or, is your home a private retreat for you? As you make the journey up your driveway, what does your home look like? How is it positioned on your land?

One of the best ways to bring your log home vision together is to explore a variety of log home floor plans and to find log home pictures that inspire you.  Then, find an architect experienced at designing log & timber frame homes that is willing to work with you to not only understand your vision but also to brainstorm with you the style, look, feel, layout, and size of your home.

Each month, our architectural division, Mountain Architects, works to create a new log home design. These designs reflect our past experiences with our clients, our architects own passion for log homes, and the latest trends in the log home industry.  Will one of these new log home floor plans meet your every need and expectation? Probably not. But you will find certain features in each plan that inspire you, that make you rethink your own log home vision. In addition, every new floor plan is professionally rendered to help you think about the look and feel of the exterior of your home.  What does your log home, timber home, or hybrid mountain retreat look like? Is it rustic in appearance – much like the Caribou plan? Or, is your dream home more modern in appearance with an eclectic use of materials – much like the Hickory Falls?

But, don’t stop your search with a collection of log home floor plans. Find images that illustrate what you like and what you don’t like.  Pictures not only help you fine tune your vision but also help you communicate that vision to your architect.

It is important to remember that the log home floor plans showcased here in this blog are simply starting points. A good place to bring together different ideas. So, go ahead, start exploring and find what inspires you the most!  Log homes, timber frame homes, & hybrid log & timber homes…

 Mountain Architects & PrecisionCraft Log & Timber Homes – are recognized nationally in Timber Home Living’s Floor Plan Design Contest.  The “Inglewood” received one of only five awards given by Timber Home Living for plans that exude “aesthetic and architectural brilliance.”

Mountain Architects – PrecisionCraft’s architectural division – continues to be recognized for its excellence. Other designs that have been recognized nationally include the “Caribou,” the “Ticonderoga,” the “Eagle’s Nest,” and the “Crested Butte.” 

The “Inglewood”, as highlighted in Timber Home Living’s presentation, is noted for its “flow.” Mike McCarthy, Editor-in-Chief for Timber Home Living writes, “Walk through the front door of this home and navigation become natural. Like spring water moving across ancient river rock, you know where to go. The kitchen, dining and great rooms serve as architectural anchors in an open space that invites hours of conviviality.” In addition, Mike noted that “while the Inglewood’s design team kept things simple, they offered some decidedly nice surprises – including a gorgeous truss entryway and an outdoor hearth, patio and pergola. The roofline is pitch-perfect, with just enough glory to justify the excitement of what you’ll see inside.” As premiere designers and producers of custom log homes, timber homes, and mountain style stick frame homes, Mountain Architects Inc. has helped more than two thousand families worldwide design mountain style homes unique to each family’s lifestyle and build location.At Mountain Architects, high-quality design of custom mountain style homes means direct access to your architect. An architect who is not only creative but attentive to your specific needs and savvy when it comes to designing custom mountain style log homes, timber homes and stick frame / timber hybrid homes.The “Inglewood” is only one example of many exceptional designs available from PrecisionCraft & Mountain Architects.  For more information or to view other award-winning designs by Mountain Architects, Inc. visit our Log Home Architectural Styles & Floor Plans or call 800.729.1320.

  Mountain Architects and PrecisionCraft Log Homes have once again been recognized for its focus on unique log home design in the 2007 Log Home Design Awards contest.  The “Caribou” Handcrafted Log Home Design receives the award for the “Best Single-Level Floor Plan” and the “Ticonderoga” Milled Log Home Design is awarded for the “Best Use of Exterior Space.”

This is not the first time that PrecisionCraft and its architectural firm have been recognized for remarkable log home designs.  The “Crested Butte” – a log & timber hybrid home - was recently presented a design award in Log Home Living’s 9th Annual Floor Plan Design Contest.  Last year, the “Eagle’s Nest” was recognized in Log Home Living’s 8th Annual Design Contest as a Top 10 Design, and the “Editor’s Choice”.

The “Caribou”, as highlighted in Log Home Design’s presentation, represents “an uncommon alternative to the traditional single-level ranch” that “packs plenty of punch while maintaining its cozy feel and aesthetical appeal.”

The “Ticonderoga” design is highlighted for its use of exterior space. According to Log Home Design, this plan “showcases how working with a site’s natural slope and characteristics can lead to some amazing exterior features.”

The level of technical proficiency at Mountain Architects and the 125 years of combined experience in high-end, mountain style architecture have positioned Mountain Architects as a leader in mountain style design across the United States. You will find Mountain Architects’ exclusive, custom designs nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Cascades, the Klamath Mountains, the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians.

The “Caribou” and the “Ticonderoga” are only two of many exceptional designs available from PrecisionCraft & Mountain Architects.  For more information or to view other award-winning designs by Mountain Architects, Inc. visit our Architectural Styles & Floorplans.

The “Crested Butte”, a new design by PrecisionCraft’s award winning architectural firm — Mountain Architects, Inc., has been recognized in Log Home Living’s 9th Annual Floor Plan Design Contest as a Top 10 Design – “the best of the best” according to Log Home Living’s contest judges.

This is the second consecutive year that Mountain Architects’ and PrecisionCraft Log Homes have received awards for their custom design work. Last year, the Eagle’s Nest was recognized in Log Home Living’s 8th Annual Design Contest as a Top 10 Design, and the “Editor’s Choice”.

The judges, a group of nationally renowned architects, admire the Crested Butte for its well thought out design and spaciousness.  According to Danny Eagan, one of the contest judges, “one can easily access all parts of the house. In addition, there’s ample use of overlapping space to make the home feel larger than it is. Everything flows together and adds to the spaciousness of the whole plan.” Bob Brotherton, another contest judge, noted that the Crested Butte is “a great floor plan for both living and entertaining guests. The expansive covered patios extend the living areas outside, and the open kitchen invites people to gather around to snack, eat or enjoy a glass of wine while still being in the entertainment area of the great room.”

The level of technical proficiency at Mountain Architects and the 125 years of combined experience in high-end, mountain style architecture have positioned Mountain Architects as a leader in mountain style design across the United States. The Eagle’s Nest and the Crested Butte are examples of this leadership. You will find Mountain Architects’ exclusive, custom designs nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Cascades, the Klamath Mountains, the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians.