WHAT’S HOT IN INTERIOR DESIGN? IF SPORTING gear giant Orvis hits its mark, the future looks bright for taxidermy and fluorescent orange. Through a partnership with Hamilton, Mont.–based Rocky Mountain Log Homes, the 149-year-old purveyor of shotguns, waders, and fly-fishing reels has added a set of Craftsman-inspired luxury log cabins to its mail-order business.
Named for a handful of trout-rich American rivers, the six preconstructed cabin models are available in a range of floor plans—from the sprawling $1.2 million “Rogue” at 3,944 square feet to the $552,000 “Battenkill” at a more chummy 1,539 square feet. Packages shipped by truck include wood flooring, trusses, rafters, walls, roofing material, gables, dormers, doors, windows, hardware, porches, posts, decks, and blueprints. A signature feature in each plan is a “sportsman’s room,” outfitted with gun and rod storage, a dog bathing area, and a workbench.
The cabins were introduced in the Manchester, Vt., company’s spring 2005 fly-fishing catalog and so far have generated a few nibbles. At press time, one home was under construction and six more were in permitting, according to Mark Moreland, senior vice president at Rocky Mountain. Moreland anticipates sales of at least 25 more cabins in the next year.
Meanwhile, Orvis is leveraging its brand equity to stoke the fire. According to a company spokesperson, the log homes will likely be incorporated into an executive ranch and private club at Orvis Shore Fox in Granby, Colo.
