When Kristi and Clay Hair were teenagers growing up in Orlando, they shared the same dream. Both wildlife lovers, they hoped to one day own a farm with all the animals they wanted: after all, says Kristi, “There’s a limit to how many dogs you can have in suburbia.”

Fast forward to present day: Kristi and Clay are married now, having stayed together since they were 14 years old. And they’ve finally achieved their dream; better than just a farm, the couple now owns a perfect log cabin that sits on 30 acres of property in Lebanon, TN. The Hairs have turned those acres into four distinct pastures with such a wide variety of animals living there—mini horses, ibex, elk, fallow deer, buffalo and a zebra—it would put Dr. Doolittle to shame.

The jewel of the property, for the Hairs, is their 3,000-square-foot log cabin—smaller than their former Florida home, but, as designers Amber Kinslow and Necole Beene, owners of Rustic Ranch interiors, explain, “Every bit of space is used for their active, nature-loving lifestyle.”

The entire Hair family—Kristi, Clay and their three sons, ages 18, 14 and nine—are avid hunters and the home truly pays tribute to the family’s passion. When they first moved into the house less than a year ago the Hairs knew they wanted to decorate with a “very rustic, lodge-type theme,” explains Kristi. Thanks to their hobby they already had numerous animals ready to display in their home, and wanted to ensure that these trophies would be the focal point of any design scheme.

When the Hairs began to explore decor options, they stumbled upon Rustic Ranch—at the time located in Goodletsville but now housed in Franklin. The first thing the couple fell in love with, according to Kristi, was a hammered copper dining room table. According to Kinslow and Beene, “When the Hairs were in our old store and fell in love with the table, we realized we had so much to offer them!”

The truth of that statement is evident in the decor of the cabin, which strikes a perfect balance between rustic hunting retreat and state-of-the-art luxury home. Though not an easy combination to pull off, the designers from Rustic Ranch knew it could be done. “The Hair home had to be filled with things that give them a sense of family (like their sleek kitchen perfectly set up to foster family cooking times) and the outdoors,” says Kinslow.  “In fact, sometimes it’s hard to find the line where one element ends and the other begins. We just knew they needed a great combination.”

And everything in the home is just that—a mix of comfort and practicality with a taste of the outdoors that the Hairs love so much. The bedding is soft, comfortable and very easy to maintain, while embracing the rustic theme by drawing color inspiration from nature.

Also on display in the home is a selection of weaponry used on family hunting outings. Of particular importance is Kristi’s Fred Bear recurve bow. Kristi and Clay are archery hunters, and this particular bow was given to Kristi by her father, who used it when he was in college. A beautiful piece, it also serves a practical function. Even the outdoor living space—the first element the Hairs added to the home, constructed by Clay himself—shows the balance of modern and rustic. Sleek and modern in design, it allows the family to enjoy traditional pastimes like cooking s’mores over the fire. The Hairs enjoy outdoor living so much that they have installed a hot tub on their patio and plan to add a pool to the deck as well.

The artwork in and outside the home is another reflection of the family’s passions. Take, for example, the red star on the exterior of the home. It is the same star as the one found on the Texas flag, yet few people know its true significance. “The five points of the star represent the characteristics of a good citizen,” Beene explains, “fortitude, loyalty, righteousness, prudence and broadmindedness.” Kinslow and Beene felt that the star was perfect for the Hairs and their respect for nature. Though they do hunt for sport, the family eats what they kill—nothing goes to waste. In fact, if the Hairs have hunted more than they can eat at a certain time, they bring the extra meat to an organization called Hunters for the Hungry, which provides those in need with nutritious food.

Kristi, Clay and their children value and respect the world around them. Their property and home reflect their passion for nature and facilitate the connection between the family and the great outdoors. According to Kinslow and Beene, the hanging in the home’s living room says it all—in finding the balance between indoors and out; modernity and rusticity; practicality and dream fulfillment; the Hairs have created “their own slice of heaven.”