The gently sloping site on which this home is sited faces south with panoramic views of Lake Washington, Mt Rainier and the Olympic Mountains. Our clients wished to create a light-filled home that would accommodate the needs of their growing family of five. In response, we created a home with an open plan featuring a centrally located two-story living room at its heart. The kitchen and family room share the same open space and are immediately adjacent to the living room. On the second floor, an overlooking walkway is open to the living room and connects the bedrooms which flank either side of the living room. The 12,000-square-foot home is accommodating to both intimate family gatherings as well as entertaining friends interactively.

We provided as much glass as possible to maximize the sweeping water and mountain views to the west. We selected a window manufacturer with a unique system that could span long distances and had a minimal framework to maximize visibility.  In the living room, a 30-feet-long-by-10-feet-tall high-performance glass window wall runs the entire length of the room. Each panel is operated electronically for ease of use.

To create interest on the entry side of the home, we introduced two wood-clad bays to modulate the façade and create a sculptural three-dimensionality to the home. We used two siding materials: brick for the ground floor and cedar siding on the upper floor to establish a hierarchy between the upper two levels of the home which establishes a generative syntax for the architecture.

Inside, the central stairway forms a sculpture-like floating ribbon and connects the upper bedroom level and the lower floor containing the entertainment, media, and playroom which spill out to a large terrace with swimming pool and spa. The rails are clad in dark stained oak while the treads and risers are dark marble.

The interior aesthetic is precise and tailored. The home’s structural grid is partially revealed inside the home, helping to define and articulate spaces. Materials are earthy, with tones recalling beach sand and the forest floor.  The lower portions of the dark-stained wood columns in the entry and living room are wrapped in patinated steel, adding a layer of sophistication and materiality. 

Outside, the terracing of the yard on the lakeside of the house provides much-needed play areas for the kids. A path to the lake and a new cove were designed for easy access to the shoreline and to enhance the shoreline in support of salmon habitat.