Written Transcript of Luxury Log Homes & Timber Frames Article:
The Best of Both Worlds
By Tricia Vita
A Northwoods home with panoramic lake views and a custom design rises next to an older vacation home that was refurbished to match.
Blessed with more than 1,300 lakes and 600 miles of snowmobile
trails, Wisconsin's Northwoods is the perfect setting for homeowners seeking
a four-season paradise. Bill and Mary Schwartz built their new home
on a peninsula on North Turtle Lake, adjacent to the family's longtime
vacation home, which they purchased from Bill's parents a decade ago. The
Tahoe-style contemporary, a mix of milled log, textured stucco, and fieldstone,
promises lake views from every window, thanks to the custom floorplan by
Jeffrey Visner of Design/Build by Visner.
"The home was designed both to sit on the knoll and stay
out of the marshy area on the backside of the lot. At the same time,
we had to meet the new 75-foot setback requirements from the lake, so it
took a little bit of a free-form design," says Visner, an architect and builder
with nearly 30 years of experience.
"It's perfect for us," Mary says of the bright and airy
two-level home, which has over 3,700 square feet of living space, as well
as a sunroom and wraparound cedar deck. "We wanted interesting spaces
that were small enough to feel cozy for two people, yet large enough to
host a party with 50 guests."
Prior to attending one of Visner's open houses, the Schwartzes
had rejected another architect's plan for a home that was 3,000 square feet
larger than the one they built. "That experience left us with a design
that he (the architect) wanted," says Mary. "Jeff listened to what
we wanted, and then exceeded our expectations," Bill added.
The main level of the three-year-old home has cathedral
ceilings of pine that soar to 15 feet at the ridge in the great room and
dining room. Local fieldstone was used on the magnificent fireplace
in the great room and as the veneer on the exposed walls of the lower level.
The Schwartzes like the "Up North" feeling associated with logs, but
didn't want to overdo the wood look. "Jeff's idea of adding stucco,
stone, and drywall strucka chord with us," Mary says. "We needed someone
who had 'been there' to make sure we got the look and quality we wanted."
The logs of 8-, 10- and 12-inch pine used throughout the
Schwarzes' home were supplied by Hiawatha Log Homes. "When we do a
milled package we prefer to work with Hiawatha," says Visner. "Their
kiln-dried product is excellent and their services are very good."
The great room faces just a few degrees west of north,
while the kitchen faces southeast. "We not only wanted to have the
view of the lake from as many rooms as possible, but wanted to have sunlight
in the house in the morning, particularly in the kitchen, which is the focal
point of the home," Visner notes.
From the ktichen, the Schwartzes enjoy unobstructed views
of every room on the main floor as well as the great outdoors. "The
kitchen window is really large and we had to sacrifice some cupboards for
it," says Mary, "but we wanted to be able to look out and see the guest
house (the existing home), the lake, and all the way down our lane." The
dining room, which has virtually the same window, offers an equally panoramic
view. Mary's desk sits in front of the wall of glass between the great
room and the sunroom, a favorite spot for reading or napping.
Visner utilized what he calls "step design" to maximize
the views and create a natural flow from one room to another. "Having
the windows in a corner, whether it be the great room, the master bedroom,
or the master bath, allowed the view to be more panoramic," says Visner,
who notes that all of the windows were manufactured by Pella.
"The home has sort of a split foyer," says Mary. "You
go up a few steps to get to our main level, where the kitchen, great room,
dining room, and master suite are, and you go down to the bar and TV area,
the guest bedrooms, and a door that opens onto the lower deck where the
hot tub is."
If a site can utilize a walk-out lower level like this
does, Visner says, it's worth considering. The lower level allows
visiting family and friends to utilize the guest bedrooms as well as the
bar and TV area without disturbing the main-level living area.
"The lower level has plenty of lightr and yet some of
it is buried into the hill, mainly because that's the way the land flows,"
Visner adds. It also serves as the lake entry.
Finishing off the lower level was also more economical
compared to building a second story, because they already had the foundation,
and their site was a little easier to work with because they were taking
advantage of the terrain. "If we were to take the square footage of
the lower level and put it into a second story," says Visner, "it would have
cost three times as much."
A gracious and airy approach is essential for a lower
level to succeed as primary living space. "There's a window to your
right, from the foyer down, so there's natural light. It's a very open
stairway that's three-directional and has a ledge for decor," says Visner.
"When you go down, you get the feeling you're going to a very special
place." The bedrooms on the lower level also have windows with views
of the lake.
Visner's custom work extended to the overhead lighting,
the kitchen, and a spacious garage designed to hold a fleet of snowmobiles.
The knotty pine doors, wine cellar, and built-ins throughout the home
were custom made by Visner's cabinet shop. "We actually hand draw
the front face of those cabinets to make them look Old World," he says.
"At the same time, we keep them of the same material as the trim and
the logs. We have a very complementary facade to our cabinets that
is reminiscent of the more hand-hewn, craftsman way of building homes."
It's no wonder the Schwartzes are happy with the home
as a whole as well as every amazing detail. "If you look at any part
of the house up close, it's perfect," says Bill, who is hard-pressed to say
which room is his favorite. "Every one of them," he says with a laugh,
"because we spent quite a bit of time designing each one of the spaces."
Design/Build by Visner has multiple binders full of what the architect
calls "D and D's" (Decisions and Discussions) that document the progress
of a project.
The short list of Bill's "favorite spots" includes the
steam shower in the master bath, the wine cellar, and the corner where the
card table sits in the great room. "We have played cards together
every day since Bill retired three years ago," Mary says. The rustic
look of the great room also provides a splendid backdrop for the lifelike
carvings of waterfowl that were done by Bill's father, who took up the hobby
when he retired. "We're really fortunate to have such a great collection,
more than 25 in all," Mary says. Her brother, Bill Dochertaigh, of
Dallas, framed much of the artwork, including the Audobon print above the
mantle. "All the overhead lights have dimmers," says Bill, "so you
can turn them to whatever level of intensity you want for a different kind
of look."
The floors throughout the home are hickory and the sunroom
has 10-inch planks that were hand-drawn. "It's something people notice
every time they come in," Mary says. Another detail that surprises
guests is a door built into the back wall of the walk-in closet that enables
Mary to reach in and grab a basket of laundry. "I thought it was just
going to be a plain little door, but Jeff made it so incredibly wonderful,
with a ledge. It's beautiful."
"Jeff doesn't understand plain or easy," Bill says in
admiration. "He does everything the way it's going to look the most
magnificent."
The bonus is that Visner's imaginative site plan called
for renovation the existing home into a guesthouse that sleeps 10 to 12,
depending on the number of kids. The first architect's plan called
for tearing down the home, which is 30 feet from the lake, and building close
to it. Since the Schwartzes have five grown children and four grandchildren,
who often bring friends up for a weekend, the remodeled bungalow gets plenty
of visitors.
"Jeff did a fabulous job of tying it all together," says
Mary. "The exterior of the guest house has all the same stucco, log
work, and fieldstone and a new roof and porch that match the new home. And
then we have a big circular drive that goes in between the two homes." The
combined properties cover about 28 acres and 1,000 feet of lake frontage.
The Schwartzes enjoy walking over to the guesthouse, with
its fire pit and nearby dock. During the summer, they launch a flotilla
of boats. "We have something for everybody; a pontoon boat, jet skis,
kayaks, a paddleboat, and a fishing boat," says Mary.
The proximity of the water is another reason the Schwartzes
wanted to keep the original house, says Bill, who notes that the views are
incredible from both homes. "We do think we have the best of both
worlds."
By Tricia Vita, Luxury Log Homes & Timber Frames