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Rustic Charm

By DEB NICKLAY, Of The Globe Gazette

When Kory and Sherry Olson designed their rural Northwood log home, they opted to let common sense be their design tool rather than the dictates of popular fashion.

Cozy, comfortable and casual describe the home located on two acres near the Northwood Country Club.

“We eat standing up most days,” joked Kory, referring to the family’s busy lifestyle. “We’re not formal people.” They built their home three years ago after researching log homes by reading magazines and talking to log home contractors.

As a result, the five-bedroom home — with walk-out basement — represents detailed planning to meet specific needs. The couple wanted the home to offer roomy comfort but use space efficiently.

While the bedrooms and family spaces are roomy and relaxing, the Olsons decided against a formal dining room. “It’s just not something we would use much,” Sherry said.

As a result, the kitchen is home to all meals, eaten from a large island where diners are seated on high stools. “We designed for just what we wanted and needed,” Sherry said.

The home’s main floor sets the tone for the two-story residence.

No-fuss ceramic tile flooring is used in the entry, foyer, kitchen and a small bath.

Tile gives way to a soft cream cut-pile carpet on the remainder of the main and second floors.

The home’s interior walls are a mixture of logs, cedar paneling and drywall.

“I just didn’t want everything to be log,” Sherry said.

The custom oak kitchen contains a combination of glass-fronted and enclosed cupboards. Sherry opted for the mix of the cupboards to highlight some pieces in display cabinets while shielding unsightly items from view in others.

The large center island is topped with low-maintenance Formica, as are the countertops throughout the kitchen.

The kitchen opens to an intimate living room, clearly the focal point of the home. The fireplace on the home’s west wall soars two stories, running alongside the home’s open loft where a den is located.

Large triangular windows join the fireplace’s upper reaches, while main-floor windows overlook the log deck. The light brightens the entire floor, enhancing the home’s mellow wood.

Comfortable leather sofas arranged in front of the fireplace offer a pleasant place to find respite from the day’s toils.

The home’s log walls are cedar, while decorative pieces, such as the fireplace mantle and stairways, are pine. Sherry, who works at the Albert Lea Eye Clinic, and Kory, an insurance salesman, built for the future.

They wanted their master bedroom on the main floor, just off the living area. French doors separate the spaces but are open during the day to enhance the flow of space.

The couple’s master bath has an interesting feature. Glass block was set seven feet high in an “L” shape to eliminate the need for a shower curtain.

A dramatic pine banister guides visitors to the second level. The landing opens to the loft den, just off two bedrooms and a bath for the couple’s younger children.

The lower level, which opens to the outside at ground level, includes a recreation room, a guest room, the bedroom of the couple’s oldest son and a bath.

The rec room, with a northwoods feel, looks west. Muted blue, green and maroon commercial-grade textured carpet gives the area a pleasant feel — just the place to relax after a summer evening of golf. The patio door “even has a doorbell for those who might want to stop by after they’re done golfing,” Sherry said. “It’s used a lot.”

Closets specifically designed to hold snowmobile gear also are also located here.

“That is one thing about designing your home — you are able to plan for those things,” Sherry said.

There is more storage space, accessed by a pull-down ladder, above the three-car garage.

Sherry’s love of antiques — both from family and shops — adds to the warm tone of the home. The wooden pieces, ranging from captain’s chests and accent tables to desks and larger cupboards, are arranged to not overwhelm the residence.

The couple had also no qualms about incorporating their major loves — golfing and family — into photograph and knick-knack displays.

“This is who we are,” Sherry said.