LHL Sept 2004

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Triangular-shaped window clusters andthree sets of French doors flood thehome with light and afford a panoramicview of the nearby Greenbrier River.

Where I64 LOG HOME LIVING SEPTEMBER 2004 www.loghomeliving.com

Log homes have come a

long way from the one

Sandi and Joe Lewis lived

in when they were first married 26

years ago. When the couple was

preparing for retirement in 2001, they

decided to build a new log house on

the banks of the West Virginia’s

Greenbrier River. “Our previous log

house had constant chinking prob-

lems, and the logs weren’t uniform. It

was pretty rustic. They’ve improved

them so much since we built our first

one,” says Joe. “This one is much

more air-tight than our first home,”

adds Sandi, “and the manufacturers

have much better designs now.”

AS NEWLYWEDS, JOEAND SANDI LEWISLIVED IN A LOG HOUSE.TWENTY-SIX YEARSLATER, THEY’VE RETURNED TO THEIRROOTS TO A PLACETHEY CAN TRULY CALLHOME—WEST VIRGINIA.

www.loghomeliving.com SEPTEMBER 2004 LOG HOME LIVING 65

A pair of Chinese pugs enjoys theirlog home as much as their ownersdo—especially the manufacturedsandstone fireplace that soars 25feet to the peak of the great room’scathedral ceiling.

66 LOG HOME LIVING SEPTEMBER 2004 www.loghomeliving.com

After two decades of marriage andtwo former homes, Sandi and Joe had apretty good idea what features they want-ed to include in their retirement house.They also had specific needs when plan-ning the rooms their home would have.“We definitely wanted a garage and alaundry room off the kitchen. I also want-ed a screened-in porch so I could enjoy theoutdoors without all the bugs,” Sandi says.

Because Sandi and Joe are involvedin a church ministry that providesguardianship to boys in need, it also wasimperative that their home have a largegame room above the garage, as well asa handicapped-accessible bathroom inthe mudroom. “We knew we were go-ing to have the boys come to stay with us,”Sandi says. “When they come in from aday of fishing or walking along the riv-er, we wanted them to be able to get ridof their muddy clothes and go up theback stairs to the game room where theycan sleep or watch TV.”

But it wasn’t only the floorplan thatthe couple was concerned with. Joe andSandi also had precise ideas about howthey wanted their home to look in rela-tion to their land, and Appalachian LogStructures not only offered a design thatappealed to them inside and out, theyalso offered the flexibility to make changesas the Lewises saw fit.

For instance, Appalachian’s originalplan called for circle-top windows, butSandi altered the design to incorporatetriangular windows instead, because shethought it would give the house a woodsylook. Joe agreed, believing that the an-gular shape would blend in better withthe home’s roofline. The company wasalso agreeable to incorporating materialsother than logs in the design. “It’s nice tohave other types of wall surfaces besideslogs,” Sandi says. “Our first log home hadtoo much wood. This time, we used dry-wall in many areas, including the bath-rooms and the loft.”

Choosing a manufacturer that meetsyour needs and expectations is one of themost important processes in the log homejourney, and Joe and Sandi took theirtime before selecting Appalachian LogStructures to craft their home.

They looked at a variety of modellog homes and did a lot of research be-fore hiring the Ripley, West Virginia-based company. “I read every log homemagazine for several years before westarted the project, just to get ideas,” saysSandi. After visiting several Appalachianhomes, the couple chose its standardRichmond model as their base and cus-tomized it to fit both their lot and theirlifestyle. The home is constructed of 6-by-12-inch eastern white pine logs with a


Tiffany-style pendants cast light on thebar area of the kitchen’s bi-level gran-ite countertop. The handcrafted cabi-nets, made from locally harvestedbutternut, have a subtle shimmer thatadds a touch of glamour to the room.

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Local metalsmith Dan Easley forged theintricate wrought-iron chandelier suspendedabove the dining room table. An Edisoncrank phonograph that once belonged tothe owner’s grandfather adds to the room’sold-fashioned ambiance.


double-notch profile and authentic dove-tail corners. This log profile creates atight, interlocking fit and doesn’t requirechinking. In addition to the logs, thepackage included the windows, entrydoors and water-repellant exterior stainin a honey-toned hue.

Practical, but Refined StylesJoe and Sandi planned to use asphalt shin-gles on their roof until they attended alog home show and saw a steel roof byGerard Roofing Technologies from Brea,California. “I didn’t really like the ideaof a shiny green or red roof for ourhouse,” says Joe, “but when I saw Gerard’sproduct, I was impressed.” You can bare-ly tell that it’s metal. The shingle-like sur-face has a muted gray-and-brown finish thatreminds Sandi of tree bark.

Rick Bennett served as the Lewisesgeneral contractor, and with his crew oftwo, he finished their home in just 18months. A versatile jack-of-all-trades,Rick has been in the construction businessfor 25 years, and he enjoys the challengeof building a log home. “So many projectsare a lot of work, and then you cover it upwith drywall,” he says. “When you buildwith logs, what you do is what you see.”

Wanting to keep a watchful eye astheir home went up, Sandi and Joe campedin an RV on their secluded property asoften as they could. Joe videotaped thewhole process, beginning with the daythe logs were delivered to their hayfield.“It seemed like we were building a man-sion compared to living in that RV,” saysSandi of their 3,816-square-foot home.

Although the house doesn’t havemansion-like proportions, it is distinc-tive. Appalachian Log Structures vicepresident Dorie Workman believes oneof the most distinguishing aspects is theirscreened-in porch—a sunny space thatoffers a panoramic view of the GreenbrierRiver and ample space for indoor/out-door entertaining. “This is the first housewe’ve done that has that nice, big gable-end porch,” Dorie says. “The dining roomand kitchen both have French doors thatopen fully to expand their living area an-

other 15 feet. The porch almost doublesthe size of the kitchen and dining area,and it opens it up to the outdoors.”

For additional outdoor living, a deckextends the entire length of the home’sriver front and accommodates a hot tub,a dining set and plenty of patio furniturefor relaxing. On the other side of thehouse, a curved driveway leads up to theentryway, and a covered porch offers an-other peaceful nook to read or rock.

Finishing TouchesInside, the home is impeccably finished.Every detail was given considerablethought, and it shows. A model of effi-ciency, the double-sided wood-burningfireplace opens to the living room on oneside and to the master bedroom on theother. To face the living room’s fireplace,which soars 25 feet to the peak of theroom’s cathedral ceiling, the couple savedmoney by selecting manufactured sand-stone from Riviera Stone Company in

Jumping Branch, West Virginia. To givethe fireplace a note of distinction, Sandiand Joe asked their mason to stack thestone on its edge, resulting in a chunky,dry-stacked appearance. A keystone atthe top of the firebox’s arch adds a so-phisticated look to the hearth.

A friend, Rusty Hatcher of AlphaMusic in Fairlea, West Virginia, wired thehouse for sound. This process took placeduring the early stages of construction,which enabled Rusty to properly concealthe wires. So that the volume and musicselection could be adjusted from variouspoints in the house, some of the surround-sound components are contained in anarmoire in the living room; others are lo-cated in a closet near the master bed-room. Speakers are in every room andout on the decks, providing music justabout everywhere you roam.

With the construction complete, thetime finally came to select the home’sdecor. Sandi and Joe enlisted interior de-


Dorie Workman, vice president of Appalachian Log Structures, believes the spa-cious screened-in porch is one of the Lewis home’s most appealing features. Withthe French doors flung wide, it doubles the size of the dining and kitchen area.


signer Martha Morris to help them fur-nish their house. Martha had decoratedthe couple’s former house in Pensacola,Florida, but geography and climate dif-ferences dictated an entirely differentstyle for their new log home. “I hadn’tseen a lot of log homes,” admits Martha,“so I looked at Log Home Living and oth-er log home magazines to see what fur-nishings were out there.”

Martha and Sandi selected warmshades of red, mossy greens and golden ac-cents for the living and dining areas, butthey sought a brighter, airier look for thespacious master bedroom suite—a 17-by-

ABOVE: Early morning sunlight streamsthrough the custom-made stained-glasswindow in the master bedroom suite. ABordeaux-and-gold area rug anchorsthe tufted chairs and ottoman in theroom’s sitting area. OPPOSITE: An ironfour-poster bed with Florentine black-gold finish completes the bedroom.

HOW TO USE LOCAL ARTISANS

Log home owners Joe and Sandi Lewis are firm believers in going

local, so it was important to them to use regional craftspeople to

complete and finish their West Virginia home.

For example, a stained-glass window serves as a focal point in the master

bedroom suite. Created by artist and friend Elizabeth Grafton, it features an

angel floating over a log home and portrays the blessings the couple feels have

been bestowed on them. Local metalsmith Dan Easley, whose work is featured

at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, forged a dramatic

wrought-iron chandelier for the dining room, the base for a ceramic sink in

the powder room and wall sconces in the living room. Neighbor Stan Eller

handcrafted kitchen and bathroom cabinets of butternut harvested nearby.

To fill in the rest of their furnishing needs, Joe and Sandi found many

talented artisans at The Tamarack in Beckley, West Virginia—a one-stop shop

for West Virginian cultural items, handmade crafts and fine art.

Looking for local artisans to put the finishing touches on your log home?

Seek out craft guilds, art galleries, gift shops and craft fairs in your area. Surf

the Internet with success by narrowing your search criteria to include specific

styles and geographic regions, and check with your regional chamber of com-

merce, visitors and convention bureau and college art departments. —M.A.H.

Main Level

Upper Level

MasterBedroom

GreatRoom

DiningRoom

Kitchen

Garage

Deck

Scr

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Por

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RecRoom

Open toBelow

Open toBelow

LoftBedroom

■ Square footage: 3,816

■ Package price: $150,000

■ Log producer: Appalachian Log Structures

■ General contractor: Rick Bennett


HOME DETAILS

32-foot room that contains a four-posterbed, fireplace and cozy sitting area. Colorssuch as butterscotch, sand and beige givethis space a clean, tranquil look. Both Sandiand Joe say this is their favorite room. Infact, they enjoy spending time in here somuch that for their 25th anniversary lastyear, Sandi surprised Joe with a catered,seven-course meal served to them in theirmaster suite. “We had a fire going in thebedroom’s sitting area and had the cours-es served to us in front of the fireplace,”remembers Joe. “We’re extremely happywith this room.”

Friends and family from south Floridalove to visit the Lewises’ log home. “It’s sucha different lifestyle being in the country,away from everything. It’s reverse cultureshock,” says Joe, who’s a self-proclaimedback-to-nature kind of guy. “To have ahome built out of local materials in theway of our ancestors appeals to me. I be-lieve that a log home here on the riverbank, surrounded by the woods, blendsin as part of the world’s bigger picture.” ■

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LHL Sept 2004