Bill and Roberta Berry have long loved their old French cottage in New Orleans. Set in the city's historic French Quarter, the house has the appeal of another time and another place. Nonetheless, the Berrys yearned for something entirely different when they set out to build a summer home in Estes Park, Colorado.

"We wanted a house with a very open feeling," says Bill. "A log home was just a natural fit for the mountain atmosphere. We had talked about a log home for years."

Their decision to build with logs was influenced by the location that the couple chose for their home. They fell in love with Estes Park after Roberta had a get-together there with friends. After two years of searching for the perfect plot, the Berrys found a 1/2-acre wooded lot at the gateway of Rocky Mountain National Park.

"The location is ideal," says Bill. "Though we love our place in New Orleans, we wanted a place that was a little cooler for summers. We wanted our log home to look like it grew right out of the land, like we just dropped a house down in the mountains."

After purchasing the land, Bill and Roberta spent a great deal of time planning their dream home. They looked through many issues of log home magazines and attended home shows. They made sketches of their ideas. When it came time to choose a builder, their decision was easy. So many local people had recommended Bill Cody of Bristlecone Construction in Estes Park that the Berrys didn't even look at anyone else.

"Bill Cody is a master craftsman in his own right," says Bill. "He's as honest as the day is long. This was our fifth house to do and by far it was the easiest one, thanks to him."

When the Berrys turned over their sketches to Bill Cody, he drew up the floor plans for them. Before the project began, Bill put some stakes in the lot and outlined the house with string so that the Berrys could get an idea of what the space would look like. He also brought an 8-foot ladder so that they could get an idea of what the views would be.

"The site offers spectacular view of Lumpy Ridge and Rocky Mountain National Park," says Roberta.

The Berrys were very specific about the type of log home they wanted. "We wanted to have a hand-crafted look but we didn't want the chinking lines," says Bill. "We wanted full-round logs and we wanted the internal walls to be made out of log."

The log producer that met these criteria was REAL LOG HOMES®, a national brand headquartered in Hartland, Vermont. "Bill Cody brought REAL LOG HOMES® to us," explains Bill. "The company was starting to mill a Swedish-cope log at the time and Bill had done quite a few homes for them."

The plans were finalized and the project began. After the REAL LOG HOMES® log package was delivered, Bill Cody assembled the home, hiring subcontractors as he needed them. Since Bill and Roberta lived so far away and were tied to their responsibilities in New Orleans, they were only able to come to the building site about six times. They were impressed with how smoothly the building process went.

“Bill Cody wanted it to look just right," says Bill. “He was wonderful. He did the house on his own, even adding special touches without charging us extra.”
Bill and Roberta couldn't be happier with the results. "There's not much we don't like about this house," says Roberta. "We love this house!"

The 3,500-square-foot home features lodgepole pine logs, inside and out. The main level houses the great room, kitchen, dining room, master suite, laundry-utility room, entry hall and a powder room. The lower level is set up as a mini apartment for guests, offering two bedrooms, two baths, a kitchenette, mud room, and hobby room-office. A finished basement and 12-foot-wide decks provide more living space.

When building the home, the Berrys were very conscious of the existing environment. "We tried to cut down as few trees as possible," says Bill. "The deck even has a zigzag so that we wouldn't have to cut down one tree near the house."

The Berrys opted to leave their land in a fairly natural state. "We don't own a lawn mower or a Weed-Eater,” says Bill.

In addition to the ponderosa pine, douglas fir, lodgepole pine and aspen trees that grace their land, the Berrys enjoy the presence of wildlife, including elk, deer, beaver, muskrat and bear.

When family and friends visit the Berry's home, Bill says they are always impressed. "Most people say it's the nicest place they've ever been in," he says. "They've never seen anything like it."

Not only does the interior of the home offer spectacular view, it also has a pleasing décor. Roberta, who did all of the decorating herself, says the theme leans toward traditional. Much of the furniture in the house, including the bed, was made in New Orleans out of old cypress. The dining room table and the coffee table were made from the original shutters of the Berry's 1824 New Orleans home. Colorful custom rugs by Louisiana Loom Works in New Orleans are found in every room. The Berry's credit Brian DeLaCruz of Artistic Surfaces in Pinewood Springs for much of the custom work in the home, including tile work, flooring and stonework inside and out.

The décor also reflects the Berrys love of art and antiques. Many of the historic photos and art pieces were purchased from Dickens Alley, a gallery located in Glen Haven, Colorado. As antiques enthusiasts who are thinking about going into the auction business, Bill and Roberta have accumulated many treasures on their travels over the years, including an 1810 chest from a Scotland monastery, 16th-century religious artifacts, a collection of tramp art and a1900 sideboard that belonged to Bill's grandmother. Bill also enjoys collecting and refinishing old radios; evidence of his hobby is displayed throughout the home.

One of the Berry's favorite features is the fireplace in the great room. One of three in the home, it features stone from Colorado that matches the stone found on the property. The wood-burning unit uses gas log inserts.

"We didn't want to deal with hauling in wood," says Bill. "Now we have the convenience of gas. We didn't use a raised hearth; it's flush with the floor so that we have more room. Putting the fireplaces on the outside walls also took up less space."

Several luxury touches add even more appeal to the home. For example, the heated garage ensures that the cars are warm even on the chilliest mornings. A Jacuzzi tub in the master bath provides relaxing soaks. A 100-gallon hot water heater allows multiple showers at the same time.

Today, the Berrys spend about half of the year in their New Orleans cottage and half in their Colorado log home. They love spending time in both places, but always look forward to walking into their mountain retreat.

"It's really the best of both worlds," says Roberta. "In Colorado, we have the grandeur of being on a mountain and the convenience of being close to town.”

Bill describes Estes Park as a pace with a small-town atmosphere and a population of around 10,000. He says there is a popular saying about the town that reads: "Another Ho-Hum Day in Paradise."

If their days in their log home are considered "ho-hum," then Bill and Roberta hope for many more just like them.