A primary residence uses the great outdoors as its inspiration When we met Don and Katie Fritz at the Minneapolis Log & Timber Home Show back in January, they were trolling for a great floorplan. âWe want a place that feels like home the minute you walk through the front door,â says Don.âWith two kids heading to college soon, our dream is to build on our newly purchased land and escape this highly populated area.â This month, we asked Tim Schafer, lead architect for PrecisionCraft Log & Timber Homes, to help. Sit back and watch perfection take shape.
What the Homeowners Wanted
Future homeowners: Don and Katie FritzDesired square footage: 1,600 to 1,800, primary residence
Special property features: Twenty-five acres; 3 acres open and 22 heavily populated with hardwoods and wildlife. âWe have some pretty amazing views, and weâd like lots of glass in the loft,â says Don. âAlso, it would be ideal if the front end of the house could face the open landâsouthern exposureâand the back end the wooded areas.â
Number of people living in the home: Two adults (and two college-age children who will visit during weekends and vacations)
Most important rooms: Kitchen, dining and great roomsâand all should be open. Also desire plenty of storage space. Outdoor space: âItâs a key element for usâwe love the idea of extending our living space outside,â says Don. âWe want plenty of decks, as well as a screened-in porch and a front porch with shed roof. A walkout basement is appealing to us, too.â
Hobbies that influence design of the home: âWe own horses, dogs, and cats,â says Don. âOur outdoor activities range from fishing and hiking to gardening. My wife loves to read, and I do woodworking and taxidermy.â
Why a log home: âWe currently live 30 minutes north of Minneapolis in a in a home on 15 acres we bought in 1986,â says Don. âThe area has grown immensely, and weâre feeling closed in. We want to get away from the hustle and bustle, and live in a casual, outdoorsy, not-too-big place where we can retire and fit comfortably into our natural surroundings.â
The designerâs thoughts: âDon and Katieâs desire for a comfortable house thatâs part of the natural environment inspired our design, as we used natural materials, created lots of outdoor space and kept sizes to a reasonable scale. Weâre particularly proud of the kitchen and great room design, which flows wonderfully with the dining space. The mudroom contains a large closet for storage and 8 feet of counter space with cabinets above. And we couldnât forget the basementâthe cheapest square footage you can buy. It boasts an extra bedroom and a woodshop/taxidermy area for Don.â
The lowdown: The plan fits Don and Katieâs lifestyle perfectly, and it even takes into account adult children who occasionally wander home (note the two bedrooms on the second floor). Our biggest kudos are reserved for the screened-in porch near the entry (complete with fireplace to warm up on chilly evenings) and the dining porch near the kitchen.
The Floor Plans
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Dutch Oven
