Ozark Custom Country Homes built TWO exquisite rental vacation homes for us at Sky Hawk Ridge. The first cabin was put on hold (at our request) when COVID shut down the economy, and when work resumed, we found ourselves dealing with widespread material shortages, rapidly escalating prices, and a severe labor shortage. Lee and David soldiered through it all, grappling with one unforeseen problem after another, and delivered a beautiful cabin, soon to become the most popular cabin at Sky Hawk Ridge.

Construction of the next cabin proceeded flawlessly from start to finish, the final cost was well under budget, and like the first cabin they built, the result was magnificent.

Through it all, Lee displayed patience and willingness to painstakingly evaluate budget numbers, investigate efficient ways to attain the “look” we wanted, and research sources for unique products. He soon gained an understanding of our personal taste and design preferences, enabling him to direct us to materials and finishes that suited our style. At every stage of the construction process, David showed his skill as a craftsman, his knowledge of all aspects of construction, and a true desire to “build it right” (an attitude much appreciated by a perfectionist client)!

Through my long career as a residential developer in Kansas City, I’ve worked with dozens of builders and hundreds of homebuyers, and know all too well how some builders can mistreat or overcharge their customers. This background makes my experience with Lee and David all the more remarkable. They are honest and transparent, trustworthy, respectful and accommodating. Best of all, each one is a pleasure to work with. I truly enjoyed our experience with Lee and David, and highly recommend them.

Frank Dean

Sky Hawk Ridge

For over a decade, we searched for a property that felt like home. That search led us from Texas, to Idaho, then Montana…and finally to Arkansas. From Off Farm began as a raw, wooded, and wild piece of land that we fell in love with and purchased sight unseen. From the beginning, we knew that the cabin we chose to build on this property needed to feel authentically old. Ozark Custom Country Homes, our general contractor, helped us bring that vision to life.

One of the first things I told Lee Walsh and David Wallis of Ozark was that I wanted a cabin that felt like it was 100 years old, with “floors that squeak” like you’d find at your grandmother’s house. Ozark had previously worked with a log cabin restoration company named Antique Logs Unlimited that sources log structures around the country that are set to be demolished, and brings them back to life. Mark Pratt with Antique Logs found a cabin built in 1813 in Illinois, carefully shipped each piece to Arkansas, and painstakingly reassembled and re-chinked it on site. The finished product forms the main structure of our cabin, and it is a work of art and history.

When selecting materials for the interior and exterior of the cabin, we knew that we wanted to remain true to the historic nature of the build. The floors are reclaimed pine that were salvaged from a 100-year-old building in Dallas, Texas. Ethan Walsh with Ozark Hardwood Flooring did the most amazing job refinishing them, sacrificing a floor sander in the process. The walls forming the new additions flanking the original log cabin are clad in nickel gap and plaster. The light switches are reproductions in the antique push button style. James Horton and his incredible carpentry crew painstakingly distressed and stained each cedar ceiling plank. Over 30 white paint samples were mixed in order to find the perfect shade of aged white for the walls, with the winner being Benjamin Moore’s Monterey White. Lance Ragland, a master stone mason, spent countless hours dry stacking native rock around the foundation, columns, and fireplace.

While the bones of the cabin bring an authentically ancient feel, modern touches are introduced in the lighting and hard fixtures. The countertops are a blend of soapstone in the bathrooms and heavily veined Calacatta Viola marble in the kitchen. The showers are a blend of texture with zellige and penny tiles from Tiles of Ezra. The faucets are classically timeless living brass from Devol.

Early in the building process, our son saw a picture of a mama bear and her cubs from one of the game cameras on the property. He referred to the cabin as “The Bear House” after that, and the name stuck. In an effort to incorporate the name in a subtle way into the build, we had a stained-glass window commissioned by Scottish Stained Glass in the bear paw quilt pattern. The window is mounted in the living room and is a prominent focal point of the space. The farm itself gets its name from a question asked of us by a neighbor. Shortly after purchasing the property, we were asked where we were “from off.” This was explained to us to mean where we were from…funny enough, in Texas we say “where are you from home?” The name From Off Farm was chosen for this special place tucked into the woods off a gravel road in the heart of Arkansas.

One of my favorite parts of the cabin is that first step out of the upstairs bedroom – when your foot hits the wooden plank floor, there is the most satisfying squeak. The cabin feels like it has always existed in those woods. Ozark, and every craftsman who had a part in building this cabin, created a place where solitude, history, and modern touches blend to bring to life the picture we had in our mind of this one-of-a-kind home. We are grateful and humbled by the opportunity to give new life to this special piece of history.