Log House in Durango - Dyerbilt Log Homes Illustrated Article


	With the adjacent powder room, the media room can serve as the sixth bedroom. Terry Dyer installed limestone from the property as wainscoting, which he topped with logs in several rooms, including the media room. Built-in alder cabinets add extra storage space. Tthe queen-sized leather couch features a pullout bed.
Log House in Durango Landscaping took advantage of natural features. “When we started to excavate, Joyce and I noted a small cactus on top of a rock,” Bryan explains. “We dug in front of the cactus to a rock layer. We then brought in a backhoe, and, combined with picks and shovels, we dug out seven layers of limestone in shades of rose and lavender that we incorporated into our walkways and patios. ”Because of the slope of the property, Scott & Sons Excavation Inc., which performed the initial excavation, built retaining walls using the native boulders. This work created flat ground around the home to be used as planting areas. Greenscape in Durango added spruce and aspen trees and a variety of perennial plants. “By revealing the limestone layers,” Bryan says, “the log house appears as if it grew out of the ground.”

	JB Woodworking built all of the custom cabinetry, including this cherry wood bar in the great room. The leaded glass insert allows a view of the built-in wine cellar under the staircase. The owners selected Gourmet Mushroom for the faux-painted, skip-troweled walls.
Besides enjoying the natural setting, the Hondrus often spot wild elk on their property because a natural elk migration trail runs across their driveway. Bears, mountain lions, coyotes, skunk and mule deer also share their land. Although Bryan would move to Durango permanently in a heartbeat, Joyce is more reluctant because her job and her family, including three step-grandchildren, are in Pittsburgh. Whenever they can get away to their vacation retreat, they enjoy basking in the abundant sunshine and blue skies of the Colorado Rockies. “We named our new home ‘Grandview Mesa’ after the street we live on in Pittsburgh,” Joyce says. “Our home is so open and airy and a wonderful place to entertain. With the exception of the contribution of Edgewood Log Structures, this log house was built entirely by artisans from the Southwest Colorado area. Within a week after moving in, we had over 60 people, all of whom had a hand in our project, over for a party. \| Log Homes Illustrated SEPT 2006 \|