Kansas log home hilltop retreat available in private hardwood forest setting

You wouldn’t expect to find a luxurious Rocky Mountain handcrafted log home in the midst of a hardwood forest just outside Kansas City — but here it is. And now you can live here.

This distinctive, serene log home retreat, listed at $1,295,000, rests upon the high point of 10 acres surrounded by a hickory, white oak, walnut and redbud forest offering absolute privacy. Located at 719 N. 1851 Diagonal Road, Lecompton, Kan., the home is five minutes from Interstate 70, allowing the residents to reach downtown Lawrence in 15 minutes and downtown Kansas City in 45 minutes. For the aspiring entrepreneur, it would be a premier bed and breakfast for Kansas University alums. Residents of surrounding cities could enjoy the atmosphere of a mountain lodge retreat close to home.

You know this property is special when you enter the custom gate, flanked by stone pillars, log verticals and topped by a handcrafted cedar truss. As you follow the 500-yard drive it rises through the trees 120 feet to the hilltop home site.

This home offers 5,475 square feet of luxurious authentic lodge-style interior space on three levels. It has been featured in Kansas City Homes and Gardens, Log Home Living Magazine, Home and Away television show and several newspapers.

It is built of 18-inch diameter, full round Engelmann spruce logs which were harvested from a national forest in Utah after a wildfire and five years standing to naturally season in the forest. The logs were hand-hewn and crafted, log by log, in Stevensville, Mont., then disassembled, with each log carefully tagged and numbered, to be reassembled on the prepared foundation site near Lawrence, Kan.

The home is nestled into the side of its hilltop setting providing a ground-level entrance on two different levels. The lower level has an exterior of Colorado river rock, providing a strong aesthetic foundation for the massive log structure on the upper two levels.

The lower level includes the entryway, home office, a sitting room and two guest bedrooms, one of which is a second master suite. On the main level is the great room, kitchen, formal dining area that opens to a screened porch and large patio, casual dining area, master suite and sunset room, half bath and laundry room.

The loft area includes a game room and workout room, as well as a balcony accessible by French doors off the game area.

Large expanses of high quality Pella windows and doors in all of the living areas offer unimpeded sweeping views of the hardwood forest surrounding the home, but the only neighbors you see are wildlife.

Log staircases with forged iron railings created by the renowned artists of Austin Ironworks, link the three living areas. All cabinets in the home are custom-built, furniture-grade knotty pine. The chef’s kitchen has all stainless steel professional appliances, including a gas Viking cooktop and Sub-Zero refrigerator.

The wood flooring on the main level is wide plank reclaimed oak heart wood. The entire main and loft level drywall surfaces are covered in custom hand-applied veneer plaster. A three-car garage is entered through custom cedar doors.

The home has four Majestic Heatilator fireplaces, a wood-burning one in the great room and gas fireplaces in the three bedrooms. They are strategically located to heat the home if the area should lose power. The electrical contractor wired certain items to a separate breaker panel box that can be connected to a generator, included with the house, making the house livable if the area were to be without electricity. The feature has not been needed; but just in case.

Natural shed antler chandeliers are prominently displayed in the dining areas. All interior and exterior lighting was custom designed to accent features of the home and ensure proper lighting for everyday tasks.

Outdoor living spaces were carefully designed to place the occupants in the midst of nature. A large, uniquely shaped back yard patio surrounds a fire pit. Alongside the patio is an outdoor shower with hot and cold running water, concealed by a vertical cedar log. The large 12-foot rock used as a sitting area, nestled into the curve of the patio, was excavated from the property. Large custom cedar decks adjoin the great room and also the main-floor master suite. Private patios accessed through French door window walls complement the lower level bedrooms. Established landscaping and gardens surround the home, including a rock garden water feature with flowing creek and pond.

For property details, go to www.revebutler.com and click on the property listing, which includes a three-minute video. To view an extensive visual tour of the home, go to visual tour link: www.visualtour.com/show.asp?t=3265166&prt=10003&sk=202.

To schedule an appointment to view this home, contact Reve Butler with Kansas City Regional Homes by calling or texting 913-207-1467. She can also be reached at reve@revebutler.com.

This story was originally published June 12, 2015 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Kansas log home hilltop retreat available in private hardwood forest setting."