Harmony Lane Seamlessly integrated into its wooded surroundings, a home near Macon, GA

Sometimes a home just works. You walk through the front door and everything just makes sense. A combination of elements comes together - a simple but contemporary design, a subtle connection to nature and an uncomplicated construction process - that make the house truly memorable. Located in a hunting conservation community near Macon, Georgia, this log home evokes ease and brilliance at every turn. Which is exactly the way the design team intended it.

The 1722-square foot home, known as the Rockbridge, was built to encourage a slower pace without giving up the modern conveniences, all the while capturing the essence of the log home lifestyle. "It emulates the wide-open feel and access to the outdoors found in lodges and other structures typical of mountain settings," says Steve Quarles, senior vice president of marketing for Southland Log Homes, which designed and produced the house.

The ambiance within the three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home's Eastern white pine log walls envelope you the minute you walk through the front door. Sunlight streams through the great room's magnificent wall of windows that open to a tree lined vista of the property's 5 acres. The 26-foot-high vaulted ceilings practically beg for a similarly sized hearth. But instead of a massive fireplace shooting through the roof, a modest riverstone hearth anchors the space.

Throughout the home, heavy timbers accent the ceiling and bring depth to the interior design that hints at more refined cottage style. Interior designer Brian Murphy infused a touch of what Steve calls "rustic sophistication" with items such as antique painted furnishings and a Queen Anne chair. "We wanted to do something that had broad appeal while at the same time not forgetting the roots of the log home," Steve says. "The interior design represents how someone lives normally."

Additional living space comes in the form of the 516-square-foot deck, which wraps around two-thirds of the home. "The deck serves as a bonus living area, in effect adding another very large room to the home," Steve says.

The Rockbridge took only four months to construct, a testament to the straightforward floorplan and a boon to homeowners who want a modern log home without a long wait. "The building process was really smooth," says builder Albert Phillips. "The open floorplan and generous use of glass make this a contemporary log home that flows exceptionally well into the picture-perfect, woodsy setting." And it's this harmony with the environment that embodies the simplicity and serenity intrinsic to log home living.