The Log Home Floor Plan Blog

PrecisionCraft’s award-winning log and timber home floor plans not only embody quality craftsmanship and unparalleled designs, but are architectural creations that inspire homebuilders across the country and beyond. Mountain Architect’s Crested Butte plan is an exceptional example that has captured the hearts and minds of people in every region of the United States as well as regions throughout the world, and has spurred them to build versions of it that fit their land, style and architectural needs while still retaining the essence of the design that first caught their eye.

The Crested Butte is a hybrid design that mixes log walls, timber, siding, rock, metal and glass. It is a true Mountain-style home design that has inspired many. Here are just a few adaptations that we have built over the course of the last few years:

North Carolina— Built on a North Carolina lakeshore, this version of the Crested Butte was built to emphasis the size of the plan. The homeowner chose large handcrafted logs, not typically available in their area, instead of hybrid log and timber construction. The finished product is a western-style log home that is complete with a walk-out basement leading to the lake and an open loft area within, making it a version of the Crested Butte that is one of a kind.

Colorado— Built amongst Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, this adaptation of the Crested Butte is nearly double the square footage of the original, but still remains the most representative of the design’s unique features. The essence of the Crested Butte’s western look and feel is seen in the hybrid style of the home, combining the advantages of the views of the surrounding landscape with stone, siding and wood to make a home that is one of a kind while staying true to the design aspects that so many like about the Crested Butte.

New Jersey— When people picture homes in New Jersey, they do not typically see a mountain-style home in that imagery. However, the Crested Butte, with its hybrid log and timber framing, fits perfectly into the landscape. The unique addition of a curved piece in the timber trusses that is repeated throughout the length of the home creates a distinct flair to this version of the Crested Butte.

Mediterranean— The Crested Butte is a design that has proven to be so versatile that its western architectural style has reached locations as far away as the Mediterranean. This version uses milled red cedar log walls and timber framing. Expanding the initial design to an impressive 8,000 square feet, this home brings the original look and feel of the Crested Butte to a new height in an exotic location.

As you search through hundreds of log and timber floor plans, you may find that many of them will start to look very similar.  In an effort to get your creative juices flowing, here are some of our most creative and “out of the log home box” designs:

The Cascade

The Cascade is not your typical timber frame design.  With tall timber framed windows that help to hold up the angled timber beams in the roof, this plan really makes a statement. The Cascade concept was inspired by modern Northwestern architecture and provides a great example of how timber frame home design can be pushed outside traditional boundaries.

The Idlewild

The growing trend in mountain style design has been to incorporate many textures and elements into the design of the home.  The Idlewild illustrates how a design can combine square log walls, round post and beam, vertical siding, shingles and stone to create a unique living space.

The Palo Verde

When you think timber frame home, you probably don’t think of the Southwest.  In this design, timber frame beams and trusses are used as the structure, while stucco is applied to the exterior and ceramic tiles are added to the roof.  This type of finish could be applied to the shell of any timber frame home, if you love the southwestern look.

The Clearwater

Again, modern architecture plays a part in the design of this timber frame home.  Modern lines and use of large windows is evident, however the incorporation of weathered siding and chinking add a rustic flair.  This is the kind of design that could easily be found in a resort town or development, as it effortlessly blends old and new.

The Upland Retreat

There are many aspects of the Upland Retreat design that could inspire your home: the curved entryway with metal roof; the combination of handcrafted log walls and custom timber frame trusses; or the glass walls that open to the patio.  If you are looking for unique design and one-of-a-kind homes, this is a great place to start.

The Washington Harbor

When thinking about the design of your home, don’t forget to think about the opportunities that outdoor living space can provide.  The Washington Harbor adds actual space to it’s layout by incorporating a large, covered outdoor space.  The outdoor living room and kitchen is completely covered, and has its own built in fireplace.  Entry is gained from the home through a glass Nana Wall system, while natural light filters down through the clerestory windows.  Outdoor living at its best!

Our readers tell us that “Top Ten” type lists are a great way to get a fresh look at our designs, so we asked one of PrecisionCraft’s dedicated employees to describe her Top Five plans. Here is what Kym had to say:

While raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens are a few of Maria’s favorite things, my list of favorite things has to include timber frame houses.  So here is a list of my favorite timber frame plans by our wonderful Mountain Architects designers.

The Greenbrier
With its English cottage exterior highlighted by multiple queen post trusses and exposed interior timbers, the Greenbrier evokes memories of fairytales being read by a cozy fire on a cold winter’s day.

The Highlands
The front elevation of The Highlands is reminiscent of early frontier towns where school was held in the town’s church.  The bank of clear glass windows (called clerestory windows) along the roof ridge allows the sun to pour through, accenting the massive interior timber frame structure.

The Colorado
Evoking feelings of strength and structure the Colorado seems bound to stand strong against the test of time. With over sized square timbers accented with stone and wrought iron, the Colorado also provides a welcoming exterior to all who arrive.  Children, old and young alike, will delight in the vast views from the abundance of windows.

The Silver Springs
When I look at the Silver Springs I begin to imagine days spent mining freshwater streams and digging for hidden treasures deep in the forested mountainside.  The post and beam supported covered porch beckons you to sit and enjoy a beautiful sunrise or sunset with cherished family and friends.

The Montclaire
While visiting the Swiss Alps or a quaint French vineyard, I imagine that I’d find the types of homes that were the inspiration for our Montclaire design. The bold entry features a barrel truss and provides an enticing view of the timber work held within its massive stone walls.

Click here for more information on timber frame homes.

Mountain Architects, PrecisionCraft’s design arm, announces the release of a new home design. Using the French countryside as inspiration, PrecisionCraft’s talented team of architects combine hipped roofs (also known as French Hips), narrow overhangs, delicate stonework and a mix of uniquely shaped windows, creating a one-of-a-kind design.

Log Home Floor Plan with Custom Timber Frame Accents

Together, square logs, stately timber frame and stone walls create a dramatic entry. While the exterior speaks to the casual, romantic charm of traditional countryside estates, the layout is open and inviting. Get more information and explore the Chaumont’s floor plan at http://www.precisioncraft.com/loghomeplans/FrenchCountry/Chaumont.html. After viewing the Chaumont design, discover more than 100 design variations at the Log Home Plans Gallery.

Many people spend years searching hundreds of different log home & timber frame floor plans; ones that showcase a specific style, layout, or size. For this Idaho couple, their search focused on finding a floor plan that would complement their build location.

In their pursuit for a floor plan that would highlight their one-of-a-kind view, Kelly and Marie fell in love with Mountain Architects’ Laurette Chateau timber frame home plan. The couple felt that the massive timber window “framed their view like a picture” while the large wraparound deck and multiple patios made outdoor living easy. See pictures of this finished timber frame home below:

Timber Frame House | Inspired by the Laurette Chateau Plan

~Custom timber frame home design by Mountain Architects

Custom Timber Frame Bar with Steel-Brushed Barn Wood

~Distinguished mountain architecture & design

Timber Frame Great Room: Custom Timber Frame Trusses

~State-of-the-art log & timber manufacturing techniques ensure top structural value for your home.

Timber Frame Home Designed for a Beautiful, Mountain View

~Learn more about the custom log home design process.

Charlie and Lauren realized their mountain style home amid the beautiful scenery and quiet comfort of Lake Pend Oreille. Known as Idaho’s most magnificent lake, Lake Pend Oreille is one of the few places worthy of this brilliantly crafted timber frame cabin; it is simply breathtaking with its glass prow design and cathedral ceilings.

With entertainment at the heart of their home’s design, Charlie and Lauren Bisbee worked with PrecisionCraft Log Homes & Timber Frame and sister company, Mountain Architects to create a home perfect for hosting guests.  The indoor pool, complete with a waterfall, cozy movie theater and artfully designed bar make entertaining easy and fun. With a little extra planning and careful thought, Mountain Architects was able to create a design that would function to entertain while also create an environment conducive to enjoying the great outdoors and finding time to relax.

Timber Frame House: Designed to Entertain

Although larger in size than a traditional cabin, Charlie and Lauren’s timber frame home is their cabin retreat; a place where they can come together with family and friends. With an open design, the kitchen allows the couple to interact with their guests, creating a spirit of togetherness. The great room also invites its guests in with a large stone fireplace and comfortable seating area. Venetian plastered walls, mocha colored timbers and warm stucco hues add character and also create an ambiance that is pleasant and welcoming.

Timber Frame Home Kitchen: Open Design

When family and friends are not the focus, the reading area in the loft is an ideal place to cozy up with a good book or simply enjoy a splendid view of the majestic lake, perfectly framed by a custom, arched barrel truss. In addition, the home’s multiple decks provide ample opportunity for enjoying the great outdoors.

Loft Features Custom Timber Frame: A Unique Arched Barrel Truss

Often times, couples like Charlie and Lauren fall in love with a company because of a particular log home plan, design, or a company’s distinctive architectural focus. Other times, couples are passionate about the building process looking for the safest path to realize their dream home. Together, PrecisionCraft and Mountain Architects provide the best of both worlds. This artistic duo has the reputation of bringing award-winning log home designs to life using the industry’s only complete Design Build program, saving clients time, effort, and money. Learn more at www.PrecisionCraft.com.

PrecisionCraft’s Wood River Log Home Plan features a unique combination of log and timber frame. This customized version takes shape at a beautiful build site in Alberta, Canada.

Rear View: Wood River Log Home Floor Plan Constructed in Alberta, Canada

Front View: Wood River Log Home Plan Built in Alberta, Canada

Great Room Features Breathtaking Timber Frame Trusses

Michael and Denise came to us with a very unique request. They wanted to design a Craftsman style home around their already existing swimming pool. Why build a home around a swimming pool? A great question and one that we had to ask as well!

Recently, Michael and Denise purchased a home built in the late 1980s but it wasn’t the home itself that had them sold. The layout of the home they purchased featured a formal entry, separated living areas, and smaller bedrooms with wardrobe closets. A design and layout very typical of the 1980s but not so appreciated by Michael and Denise who were looking for a more contemporary home. But, the home was nestled in a heavily wood area in Granite Falls, WA, complete with distant views of the beautiful Cascade Mountains and a pool with a one-of-a-kind story.

The most outstanding feature of this 1980s home is the kidney-shaped pool located in the daylight basement. This pool took quite a bit of planning and hard work to get it positioned perfectly. Huge granite boulders buried deep in the landscape that Michael and Denise love so much were carved out to make room for a pool. Their existing 1980s home is to be torn down (while saving the pool) and replaced with a Craftsman style, timber frame home complete with a contemporary flair. The layout of their new home will feature a more informal and open design incorporating new spaces and features such as offices, a workout room, a steam room, a caretaker’s apartment over the garage, and an elevator.

Well, it sounds like a great project; a fun challenge. One that the team at Mountain Architects and PrecisionCraft is eager to take on! Be sure to check back with us periodically as we plan to follow this project all the way through.

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.

Who says it has to be all about log? Check out this new design by PrecisionCraft and Mountain Architects’ log home designers. The focus this month is on timber frame! The Clearwater is a modern timber frame floor plan that fits in with both new developments and rustic locations.

The unique look of the Clearwater timber frame plan integrates stone, glass, timber and siding. The floor plan is open and works well for entertaining, while the master suite is secluded and has private access to the patio area. The second floor bedroom has its own private balcony with an innovative clear railing system.

The Clearwater, as well as all standard floor plans found at PrecisionCraft’s log home floor plan gallery, can be designed to match the look and feel of any client. In addition, the Clearwater can be customized in size and layout. Standard floor plans such as the Clearwater are simply starting points for your own unique vision.

Adding timber frame elements to a log home design is a growing trend today. Visit PrecisionCraft’s Log Home Solution Center to learn more about this hot trend or to view 65+ log home and timber home plans.

Ready to make your getaway to a pristine log or timber home retreat? It won’t cost you a penny to immerse yourself in the latest in world class log home design from Mountain Architects, the log and timber home industry leaders.

This month’s unique French Country log home design, the Hickory Falls, features a hipped roof design, a custom timber frame truss at the entryway, and an impressive use of different materials. The latest design from the team at PrecisionCraft and Mountain Architects illustrates how a combination of materials – log, timber, stucco, stone, and glass can come together and create a one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

This log home design is also unique in its layout. The Hickory Falls’ floor plan features:

•Beautiful courtyard adjacent to the home’s entryway and living area
•Second floor balcony in the rear of the home
•Impressive studio space above the garage
•Master suite with outdoor fireplace
•Large mud room/laundry room

When designing custom homes – especially log & timber hybrid homes, it is essential to recruit an experienced architect; a designer who has an in-depth understanding of the properties and behaviors of log and timber connections. It is also important to have unlimited, direct access to your designer throughout the entire design process — from idea to the final home.

Each month, the team at Mountain Architects and PrecisionCraft Log Homes work to create a plan that reflects architectural styling elements that are new, unique, or simply inspirational. Recognizing that design is the first and most important step in bringing clients’ visions to life, PrecisionCraft’s monthly designs give clients the perfect place to find what elements and styles best describe their own unique lifestyles and visions.

You will find PrecisionCraft’s exclusive log home and timber frame home designs, like the Hickory Falls, nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Cascades, the Klamath Mountains, the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians. Although PrecisionCraft is based in Idaho, you will find their log homes throughout the United States – from California to North Carolina, PrecisionCraft’s Total Home Solution™ makes the way.