And that's not all that Kristi and Ben got. They also were adamant about not having view-obstructing trusses in the great room. To obtain an open area, the Munroes wanted a rafter system. This specification led them to their log home company, Log Knowledge in LaPorte, Colorado. "There were certain stipulations that we had, and we sent out a form to 20 log companies asking them to fill out the questionnaire," Kristi says.

Along with the roof system, Log Knowledge also offered exactly the species of log that the couple wanted: hand-peeled Engelmann spruce. "Each log is the full length of the house," Ben says.

Typically, in a handcrafted home, the characteristics of each log are left intact, including the natural taper, knots and bumps. Before shipping the logs to the site, the crafters at Log Knowledge hand-peel and erect the logs in their logyard. One of the advantages of prefabricating the log shell in their yard is having a large log inventory immediately accessible. Every log is carefully selected, notched and fit to the prior log. The logs are then tagged, disassembled, loaded onto trucks and shipped to the owner's site. This process allows reassembly of the log shell onsite to take only a few days.

To take advantage of the gently sloping hill, Kristi, who was in charge of the design, opted for a walkout basement. This decision made the main floor easily accessible to the carport and driveway. Upstairs, a loft overlooks the majestic views of the mountains and the Ruedi Reservoir below. Outside, a patio, covered porch and expansive decks bring outdoor living to every level of the couple's log home.