A Kansas City couple finds inspiration in the outdoors to design their dream rustic escape.

Story by Maya Brenningmeyer | Photography by Matt Kocourek

Atop a sprawling 350 acres of land sits Mike and Maureen Bukaty’s perfect escape, a three-story log home, complete with an additional barn and barndominium. “I had the thought of building a log cabin for about 7-8 years prior to purchasing the property,” says Mike. When a friend called about a property butted up against the river, he jumped at the opportunity. Surrounded by lush trees and babbling creeks, half of the property was tillable land with the other half for hunting grounds. It was exactly what they were looking for.

The next couple of years were spent designing the cabin, visiting on weekends to enjoy and maintain the property’s natural elements. Once the design was finished, Mike sent it to WHS Homes, Inc., parent company to Real Log Homes, who provided and premanufactured the logs for the cabin.

“The logs came in on seven to eight flatbed trucks,” says Mike. “The house was completed; you just had to put the Lincoln Logs together.” This tedious process took about 18 months, with the couple traveling back and forth from their cabin to their home in Kansas City. Luckily, the cabin’s proximity to their home made it easy for quick daytrips. Once the last logs were set in place, it was on to designing and decorating the home’s interior. “I was going to try to decorate it as a true rustic log cabin,” Mike continues. “My wife quickly said that was not my forte and that I needed to hire Erin.”

The couple turned to Erin Mankameyer, of Groover Interior Design, to elevate the cabin’s aesthetic while maintaining its classic country charm. “I’ve done many projects with them and we’ve worked together for years,” says Erin. “This particular project was more of Mike’s baby. They wanted this home to be a relaxing and calm place, somewhere they could go to escape.”

“I wanted everything to be as natural as possible,” Erin continues. Reclaimed limestone floors cover the back hall, and the downstairs vanities are made from reclaimed timbers. The lower-level bar features reclaimed barnwood that adds dimension to the bar’s walls, and corrugated metal siding from a 100-year-old barn acts as wainscoting on the lower level. Even the stairwell was customized to have a more organic feel. “We really wanted to stick to natural and reused materials.”

The home’s unique architectural style influenced every aspect of the design. “It’s not every day you get to do projects like this, so when we got the opportunity, we immersed ourselves in existing styles of log cabins or even rustic homes around the country,” Erin mentions. Stepping out of their comfort zone and leaning into this rustic aesthetic, the design team ordered custom-made furniture from various antler companies. These unique pieces can be seen in the entryway’s light fixture, a bench in the primary bedroom, and even a handmade vintage horn chair found on 1stDibs. They tie in perfectly with Mike’s hand-picked stuffed animals that are dotted throughout the home. “Every time I walk in the door, there is some new animal that is added,” she laughs.

One specific challenge, Erin notes, was the importance of preplanning. “You can’t add a light switch like you could in a typical project; we’d need to preplan its location and then drill through the logs to wire in electricity.” Each log piece fits perfectly into the next, and it was up to Erin to ensure the interior elements of the home reflected this symmetry. She carefully sourced tiles, appliances, and furniture pieces to accentuate its country feel. Additional tasteful details play to Mike’s penchant for ‘fun stuff.’ The powder bath is wallpapered with actual hide panels, and the bathroom’s sink is controlled by a rock that sits on its countertop. They fit perfectly with Mike’s latest find, a stuffed raccoon drinking a beer.

Not only did the design need to encapsulate the uniqueness of the home, it also needed to accommodate large groups of guests. “I know they were going to use the home to hang out with friends, and I know they go there every Thanksgiving,” Erin mentions. “Maureen cooks a lot, I wanted the kitchen to be just as nice as her kitchen at home.” The main level’s open-concept floor plan reflects their desire for a space to gather. From the front door, visitors enter a spacious living area, complete with a large sectional positioned before an ornate stone fireplace, a cozy setting to accommodate multiple guests. Carrying into the kitchen and dining room, a long wooden dining table with a bench on one side, and a wide island with bar seating, fosters connection between the two areas. The kitchen, while smaller than Maureen’s kitchen at home, offers plenty of counter space, high-quality Wolf and Sub-Zero stainless steel appliances, and a La Cornue range to support cooking for large groups.

“My favorite spot is the main living room because the fireplace is right there, the kitchen and kitchen table are right there, it’s all one big room,” says Mike. “Whether you’re watching a football game or doing a wine tasting, you can all fit in one room.” Just outside this main sitting area is an outdoor fire pit. Positioned next to the barn silo, a set of green John Deere barstools can be brought out to provide outdoor seating at the silo’s small bar, and a cooler on wheels is easily transported in and out of the space.

In the primary bedroom and bathroom, neutral tones and wood accents add a touch of elegance. A bird nest-inspired chandelier hangs over the bed, and the previously mentioned antler bench sits atop a large, woven rug. In the primary bathroom, large windows offer unobstructed views of the property, visible from the room’s free-standing tub. A wall of stone weaves natural elements into the space, and a double vanity ensures the couple has ample room to spread out when getting ready in the morning or unwinding at night. “I wanted it to feel like a cozy, clean escape while still flowing with the landscape of the area,” says Erin.

After finishing the main cabin, Mike wanted to build a place where his nephews and their friends could enjoy the property without worrying about damaging the main cabin. “We built a barn to store all of our toys, and on the front side, we built a barndominium.” This outer structure holds six beds with a full kitchen, full bar and a garage door that opens up with a full view of the back of the pasture from the barn. “Everything is indestructible,” Mike continues. “They’ve tested it out many times.”

Now that the property is officially complete, Mike and Maureen make ample use of their rustic escape. “We go down there almost every other weekend from the fall to the early spring,” says Mike. They plant corn and soybeans every other year, and this year they’ve planted a pumpkin patch for their grandson. The remaining outdoor space is used to ride ATVs, build fire pits, and cook out on the weekends with their family or other couples. Hanging above the entrance to the home’s drive is a large metal sign reading, ‘Big Buck’s Creek,’ a Christmas present from his daughter and son-in-law. “Building the cabin was a great experience,” Mike finishes. “I would absolutely recommend it to a friend.”