WELL WORTH THE WAIT
Laurentians log cabin the perfect mix of seclusion and easy access
“Everything comes to him who waits.”
The owner of the Scandinavianstyle log home featured in this article was very particular when he was scouting locations for land. He wanted a secluded spot with no neighbours in sight, yet it had to be close to a main thoroughfare for easy access.
He also required a flat terrain to build his cabin and a sizable piece of land with a private road — a tall order indeed. An existing private road was essential for him, because as a real estate agent, he knows the difficulties of getting a municipal permit to build one. Sharing a road with other landowners also had its drawbacks. Since he works in the Laurentian region, you’d think his profession would have made his search easier, with his knowledge of many properties for sale. Yet, it took him 15 years to find the ideal location. Now, that’s patience.
“I always wanted a log cabin, but I also wished it to be in the right location,” said the owner, who preferred not to be named for privacy reasons. “It’s not something you build just anywhere, like next to modern houses for example,” he explained.
Set on 73 hectares near St-Donat, the cabin overlooks a private lake and is surrounded by a forest teeming with wildlife. It is modest in size, 30 feet by 38 feet, with an eight-foot balcony running the width of the cabin. The doubledoor two-storey garage next to it is almost as big, 30 feet by 30 feet. Both buildings fit perfectly in the lush natural decor and their reflections in the water make a pretty picture at dusk.
Unlike most log cabins of this type, which are built with Eastern white pine in Quebec, this one is made of spruce. Patience was again called for after the construction. Shrinkage, which makes the logs crack and the joints loosen, is usually unavoidable in this type of building. There is one solution though, but it is not often adopted, as owners are always eager to move in.
It consists of letting the house rest and settle completely undisturbed for a certain amount of time once the construction is finished. In this case, the owner waited four years before the move-in date in 2008.
With the cabin 1.2 kilometres away from the main road, there was the risk that the owner’s power lines could be damaged by fallen trees during severe weather conditions, so he had the electrical cables buried underground.
The owner also chose a slippery metal roof to avoid snow accumulation, though its steep slant was probably enough of a guarantee.
This new type of roofing with thick Styrofoam insulation has a life span of 40 years. There are different styles of log cabins. This one uses Swedish cop logs that are round inside and out with a halfmoon-shaped groove on the bottom. The corners of the stacked log walls are of the saddle notch type. The cement base and the chimney stack are decorated with flat stones.
Inside, the decor and the ambience could best be defined as rustic elegance. The staircase leading to the mezzanine is supported by two imposing logs and the steps are made of half-moon beams. The whole ensemble looks almost like a modern sculpture. All the floors in the house are equipped with a heating system.
Slate was used on the ground floor. Slate is also found around the wood-burning fireplace in the living-room. Being one of the strongest natural stones around, slate is an excellent flooring material, which is resistant to cracks, scratches and chips. Furthermore, slate transmits heat very efficiently, thus making it an ideal choice with a coil heating system. Properly maintained, it can last for decades.
Facing southwest, the cabin receives plenty of light, which is a boon for the house plants. In the kitchen, the counters and the sink are made of slate. The cupboards are made of pinewood and were stained a darker hue to make them stand out.
The cooking stove could be called a hybrid, for the range uses gas, and the oven works with electricity.
On the other side of the kitchen counter, the dining room area receives light from the side window, but also from a larger four-pane one set high on the wall facing the lake.
On this side, the 23-foot walls end in a cathedral ceiling style. The red armoire and the blue dining set offer an interesting play of colour contrasts.
A view of the stairs from the mezzanine shows the hand-hewn banisters and spindles. Each spindle being hand-carved, is unique. The mezzanine is the private domain of the owner. The queen-size bed occupies the open part of the 20 by 30-foot space. Choosing white furniture and a country-style bedspread with matching pillows make the ensemble pop against the natural wood.
A similar colour scheme is found in the ensuite, where the white cabinets and red accessories contrast against the knotted pinewood boards.
Small multi-coloured ceramic tiles cover the countertop. The large shower stall is lined with white tiles and the glass door follows the angle of the roof.
A family room occupies the bottom floor, which is flush with the ground, thus giving a direct access to the lake from the patio doors. Like in the living-room, the wood-burning fireplace is set in slate, but the floor is covered with ceramic tiles in various shades of pastel colours that are almost matched by the fabric of the two sofas.
Having waited 15 years to find the right location and another four to let his cabin settle properly, our patient man now makes the most of his enchanting retreat.
He has placed four cameras in the surrounding forest to observe the abundant wildlife.
There are also plenty of game birds and waterfowl. As he is not a hunter, all creatures are safe in his domain.
What keeps this 76-year-old in shape are long walks and canoeing on the lake. Also with the cabin being far away from other habitations and sources of light, the nights get pitch black, so stargazing has become another of his favourite occupations.
Thankful and respecting of his cabin oasis, this happy man’s patience has paid off in many ways.