Henry and Charlotte Yorke
A Log Home With A
Modern Touch

Classic craftsmanship and tech-savvy amenities come together in one unforgettable Vermont home.

High among the hills of central Vermont sits a home with rustic charm and a high-tech heart. Homeowners Henry and Charlotte Yorke wanted a log home that looked and felt as though it had been on their 125-acre site for generations. But they also wanted an infrastructure that would take it that far into the future. The result is what everyone involved in the project calls the “future smart log home.”

Because the Yorkes wanted to be able to work from home, the house was outfitted with state-of-the-art wireless connections. And to enhance the home’s comfort, the building team installed programmable lighting and HVAC that can be controlled remotely.

Rustic allure and logs wired for the digital age seem incompatible—until you talk to Henry and Charlotte Yorke. Their Vermont home, every bit the solid icon of log craftsmanship, happens to be as tech-heavy as a Manhattan penthouse. But how can all those logs be wired?  It’s all about planning, according to the home’s architect and builder, Mike Gingras of Seven North Log Homes. A full log exterior like the one the Yorkes chose makes concealment of the home’s “nervous system” (coaxial, fiber-optic and CAT5 cables) easier, but a savvy designer also knows to use interior walls and extra-thick floor joists and roof beams to further mask wiring and ductwork.

But according to Mike, “The challenge was not the technology.” One glace at the home’s mountainous location tells you why—the house literally sits on rock. “Henry and Charlotte picked the spot, and we designed the house for the orientation they wanted,” Mike explains. But then, in a slight reversal of form, “We made the lot fit the house by blasting lots of rock.” The handsome payoff can be seen as soon as you travel up the mountain via the half-mile driveway—the curb appeal of the Yorkes’ house is unmatched for miles.

Next: TAKING SHAPE