Cliff and Chris Wheeler transferred from Portland, Oregon back to their origins in Bend after their kids completed high school in 1995. “For me personally, Bend is home,” states Chris. “My husband is a real outside person. He loves to fish and hunt.” Cliff is a general contractor, and collectively the Wheelers market and construct log home packages. They started their business, Baker Pond Log Works, once they decided to build their own log cabin. “It was after we purchased the land and started moving through the procedure for deciding what type of a log cabin we were planning to construct we became aware there was a business behind log houses, and they had been sold in bundles and fittings,” states Chris.
in a Glance
Who lives here: Cliff and Chris Wheeler
Location: Bend, Oregon
Size: 3,600 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathrooms
Whitney Lyons
Cliff and Chris built their log cabin with a kit in The Original Lincoln Logs while they were working as dealers for them. After deciding they’d been with that company long enough, they moved out on their own. They now buy their log substances from different mills in the Northwest. Homeowners buying their products can be involved in the building process as they need.
Whitney Lyons
An 18-foot Christmas tree stands tall in their living room for its season this season. The Wheelers, along with buddies, searched the forests for their tree, using a flatbed to haul it back to the cabin. To decorate the top, Cliff stood on a ladder at the attic. The stand is on wheels, so when the tree has been decorated to satisfaction, it was rolled into place. Guide cables ensure it stays vertical.
Whitney Lyons
Raffia nut and bows garlands are part of the Wheeler Christmas tree decorations for at least a decade. “My stepfather drilled holes all of the nuts 16 years ago, and we fed wire through them,” clarifies Chris. She watched the burlap series in a store and made her own.
The living room fireplace, made of local Santiam River stone, is the perfect background for stockings and holiday decorations … or for simply relaxing.
Whitney Lyons
From the entrance, another Christmas tree is also decorated with the family’s signature raffia ribbons. A classic sled from upstate New York hangs on the wall as artwork.
Cliff and Chris used Eddie Bauer’s Cabin Red paint to distress their cabinetry in kitchen. Cliff made the wood paneling for the fan and the rear of the bar, and also constructed the bar chairs.
This coffee grinder at the kitchen has been a present from Chris’ brother-in-law. He also found it at an estate sale for an old log cabin across the Deschutes River.
The Wheelers have enlarged and remodeled their kitchen since constructing their house. “When we initially constructed the house, we found cheap white cabinets to spend less,” states Chris. Now the natural wood cabinetry matches the remainder of their cabin’s aesthetic. The decorative tin backsplash is typical of old Victorian ceilings. Chris added some classic nails at every junction.
The pipes for this particular pot filler runs through a tree trunk. There’s a sliver of wood, hardly visible, which can be removed to reach the pipe. The rest of the pipes is under the cabinet.
Chris uses this extra sink in the kitchen as an ice bucket when entertaining guests.
Whitney Lyons
This antler chandelier hanging over the dining table was produced by a local artist and purchased from Volt Lighting at Bend. Chris was attracted to this particular lighting fixture due to the rawhide lampshades as well as the sheer variety of bleached antlers used in the design.
The Christmas decorations here were inspired with a Home Depot commercial Chris saw this past year. “I purchased some Christmas balls to hang in the chandelier, and my husband said, ‘Why don’t you use pinecones? ”” Additionally, I made yarn balls and have used them on the Christmas tree as well.”
Whitney Lyons
Cliff constructed their dining room table utilizing lodgepole and ponderosa pine.
Cliff is an avid hunter and outdoorsman. An elk head from one of the hunting excursions is exhibited on the wall in the living area. The coffee table is from Mexico and has been purchased at a trade show.
Whitney Lyons
A festive holiday garland across the stair railing leads to the master bedroom.
Whitney Lyons
From the master bedroom, Chris desired privacy without losing sunlight, so Cliff designed and constructed all these wooden shutters.
Whitney Lyons
From the guest bedroom, Chris used scarves to make throw pillows and window treatments. The bed was created by a log furniture builder in Spokane, Washington.
Whitney Lyons
A classic oar is repurposed as a shower curtain rod inside this guest bathroom.
The couple also turned out an old radio cabinet to some vanity fitted with a Mexican-style porcelain sink.
Whitney Lyons
As a tribute to the background of log cabins, a number of the previous tools used to construct them are exhibited from the entrance. Things that remember both the background of log cabins as well as the history of Chris and Cliff themselves can be located throughout their home.
These log image frames were hand crafted by Cliff as a nod for his or her surroundings.
Whitney Lyons
Chris’ stepfather owned Bicentennial Music & Vending in central Oregon. “I grew up with the Beatles’ first tunes on 45s before anyone in the city had them, since we had all of the audio machines,” she states. “We’d all of the pinball machines, pool tables and cigarette and candy machines in central Oregon.”
When her stepfather passed away a couple years ago, a friend used this vase as the basis for a flower arrangement. “She drilled holes at the pool balls and put a stick through the end,” states Chris. “When the flowers died, we kept the vase as our pool ball arrangement.”
Though covered in snow in winter, this fire pit on the rear porch is often used throughout the summer to make s’mores, boil a pot of soup or water, or grill meals.
Whitney Lyons
This component of Bend was once a ranch with a stock pond, even where kids would come to ice skate. “I recall coming here with [my sister] time to go ice skating,” states Chris.
Whitney Lyons
Cliff and Chris plan to utilize a chairlift from Hoodoo Mountain Resort as a tree swing into their backyard.
Chris claims of her hometown, “With the exception of a theater, we have everything a bigger city would have — but we also get the outside and blue sky.”
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