By Leslie Southard
Photos by Paul Jeremias
Contact Owner: (973) 853-2036
After living for 10 years in a townhouse in a golfing community, Bob and Maureen Wales could not envision returning to a single-family house and yard. Both were sure their busy work schedules wouldn't allow time for the upkeep and maintenance such a home would require. Plus, Maureen's position as vice president of a publishing company meant that they needed to stay in close proximity to New York city.
But a chance invitation to an Alta Log Home Open House changed their minds, their style of living and even their professional lives. Bob, whose career in the housing industry has spanned from sing-family-home builder to realtor to mortgage banker, eventually added "log home dealer and builder" to his resume. His and Maureen's company Moe Mountain Log Homes in Hewitt, N.J., sells and constructs Alta Log Homes in the New Jersey and New York area.
After the initial open house that had peaked their interest, Bob and Maureen decided to investigate log homes more thoroughly and attended a few log home shows. They eventually came back to Alta, however. "We liked Alta because of its relative simplicity yet enduring stability," says Bob.
After making their decision to build a log home, bob and Maureen then set out to find the perfect homesite--a task they thought would be difficult due to their need to be close to the city. "Surprisingly, land searches turned up many possibilities and our final choice was difficult," says Maureen.
They discovered a beautiful and private lakefront lot of more than an acre in northern New Jersey. After perusing some old maps, they learned the spot was in an area referred to as Moe Mountain, aptly named because of the huge core rock that rises behind the house, providing privacy to the house and shielding it completely from the road beyond. The other side of the homesite is bordered by 283 feet of waterfront on Mount Laurel Lake.
Working with Alta, Bob and Maureen designed the house themselves, the style they like to call "cottage-chalet." "The home's architecture is basically of a chalet design but we did incorporate some cottage-like elements and decor that suits our personal style," says Bob.
Construction on their home began in the autumn of 1998 and was completed by the spring of 1999. The 3,440-square-foot northern white pine home rises three floors from its lush surroundings. The lower basement level features an entertainment and exercise room, full bath and what they refer to as their "business room." "We don't like to call it an office," says Bob.
The second, or main, level features a large open great room with a 10-foot-high natural stone fireplace and a wall of windows to enjoy the gorgeous views. " The house is situated so that in winter the sun shines through the great room windows onto the fireplace stone and helps heat the house," says Bob. The great room also includes a dining area that enables guests to enjoy the fireplace and view through the windows.
Also on the main level is a 1,200-square-foot open area that incorporated the kitchen, dinette for casual eating and a relaxed family room. "I love to cook," says Bob, "and this arrangement lets all our guests get involved in the process when we're entertaining."
The kitchen is Bob's own design and is his pride and glory. Softly gleaming hickory cabinets line the walls and surround a massive 11-by-3-foot counter-bar. Over this large work-and-eating space hangs an antique transom taken from a nearby colonial-era home. Expanses of Corian countertops provide plenty of workspace for Bob to perform his culinary magic.
The spacious master bedroom and bath is housed in a wing of the main level. Its soaring cathedral ceiling mimics the vaulted ceilings found throughout the rest of the house. Gable windows and glass doors add to the restful nature of the bedroom suite with panoramic outdoor views and soft incoming daylight filtered through delicate lace curtains. The large master bath includes a whirlpool tub that looks over the lake. The hall from the master suite to the great room leads to a half bath for guests.
The third-floor loft includes two bedrooms, complete with large closets and a full bath. Other areas designed into the home include a two-car garage, laundry and utility room and "lots of storage," says Maureen. The gas-fired heating and cooling system by Lenox as well as the naturally insulating log construction keep their fuel costs very low throughout the year.
Throughout the home's interior, Bob and Maureen wanted a harmonious palette of natural colors and material. Like their home's logs, all wood surfaces are stained clear and the furnishings--from the leather-upholstered sofas to the softly muted Tiffany-style lighting--contribute to the home's natural them as does the cut stone that is used in the foyer's flooring and in other parts of the house. "We chose to use natural cut stone in areas where some might have chosen tile," says Bob.
Avid sailors, Bob and Maureen also enjoy numerous sea- and ocean-themed decorative accents throughout the house.
Although they subcontracted out much of their home's construction work, Bob and Maureen jumped in and did quite a bit of the interior work themselves, such as installing the cabinets and fixtures, completing the trim work and hanging the doors. "People building a log home should do some of the work themselves depending on their time limits and abilities," says Bob. "This makes the house mean so much more when it's finished."
With the lovely setting in which the home is situated, just as much care was taken to create pleasing outdoor living spaces as well. A screened porch off the family room is where Maureen can often be found on summer afternoons. "This is my favorite place to enjoy my plants and read a book," she says.
Over 1,200 square feet of cedar decks allow spectacular views of their natural surroundings. "The deck off the great room is very high," says Bob. "You're actually amid the tree tops when you're out there, which is great for observing the bird life. The lower-deck levels let us watch active ground wildlife." The deck on the back of the house reaches right out to the rock formation and is scalloped to follow its lines. "you can actually reach out an touch the rock, which is larger than the house," says Bob.
The landscaping was planned to maximize enjoyment of the flora and fauna surrounding the house. "The trees that we had to take down in order to build the house were ground into wood chips," says Bob. "From this we created nature trails that circle the property from one end to the other." the trails wind from the lake, past perennial gardens to the top of the rock formation for a magnificent view.
"Wildlife flourishes here," says Maureen. "Visits from red tail hawks, herons, ducks, raccoons, foxes and even black bears are common. We have friends from New York City who have never seen any of these!"
Bob and Maureen were so please with their experience with Alta Log Homes that they became enthusiastic dealers and builders for them. "When people go to a log home show, there are thousands there who want to build a log home, but only a percentage who will overcome their fears or uncertainty and actually do it," says Bob. "As representatives of Alta, and based on our own experience in building our log home, we try to help our customers learn and decide exactly what they want in a log home and then get them to the point where they are ready to build."
Deciding beforehand exactly what you want in a log home and planning accordingly is the key to getting the results you want, say Bob and Maureen, who couldn't be happier with their own home. "our home was designed by us, built by us, and landscaped by us," says Maureen. "It was created to fit our exact needs and there is no wasted space and no rooms that are not used on a frequent basis by us or our guests.
The spacious master bedroom and bath is housed in a wing of the main level. Its soaring cathedral ceiling mimics the vaulted ceilings found throughout the rest of the house. Gable windows and glass doors add to the restful nature of the bedroom suite with panoramic outdoor views and soft incoming daylight filtered through delicate lace curtains. The large master bath includes a whirlpool tub that looks over the lake. The hall from the master suite to the great room leads to a half bath for guests.
As Bob puts it, "There is no more and no less than exactly what we need and want in our home."