New Construction to Age in Place
Trout Lake Residence
A new home in a remote location built to stay cozy, livable, and flexible for years to come.
Beginning with a quiet, secluded plot of land surrounded by towering evergreens, this Washingtonian knew she had found the perfect location to build her forever home. After a year of learning the land and developing her vision, she reached out to us to help make her dream house a reality.
To start, she knew she wanted a modern design, flooded with natural light, showcasing the north-facing views of Mount Adams. As a lover of nature, it was also important for both the home’s interior and exterior to feel naturally integrated with the rugged wilderness surrounding it. The remote location is prone to power outages known to sometimes last a week or more, and special considerations were needed to ensure the homeowner could stay comfortable in such conditions. We also wanted to incorporate elements to support her active lifestyle and hobbies, like fabric arts and furniture building.
Intended to be a forever home, the home is designed to allow residents to age in place. The main floor is completely accessible to people of all abilities, and the essential components of daily living are consolidated onto one level to avoid using stairs, if necessary. Wide doorways accommodate any need for assisted mobility.
Aside from the functional design elements, the lower level is flooded with natural light by large, abundant windows gazing upon the forest and granting a peek at Mount Adams. To bring a cozy, natural feel to the home reflecting the beauty of its location, wood and other organic materials were chosen for the finishes. The carved tile backsplash in the kitchen and the stained concrete flooring are reminiscent of textures and colors you might encounter on a stroll through the woods.
High ceilings in the living room combined with the open floor plan inspire feelings of the vast outdoors. Large glass doors lead outside to a covered patio for seamless indoor-outdoor connection that can be enjoyed year-round, rain or shine.
Small touches like built-in shelves with custom overhead lighting bring a refined feel to the home and allow the owner to showcase artwork and heartfelt relics. Another unique touch is the opening above the bathroom sink where a vanity mirror would normally be expected, instead allowing a view over the Japanese soaking tub and out through the bathroom window. These thoughtful additions invite moments of interest into the home, giving the space its own unique character.
Upstairs, an open loft overlooks the living room, its height positionsing visitors to take in exceptional views of the mountain. With the day-to-day functional spaces like the living room, kitchen, bed, and bath reserved for the first floor, the upstairs loft is free to be a fluid, multi-use space perfect for a homeowner with various hobbies and passions. The flexible space is great for arts and crafts, meditation, a home office, or even lodging for overnight guests. Exposed wooden beams and metal railings frame the space and create an aesthetic link between the upper and lower levels of the home.
Designing a forever home is a privilege that must be done with care and consideration for how the home will support and satisfy its owner for years to come. This end result is a cozy, unique home with a modern exterior and an interior that reflects the homeowner, her individual needs, and the surrounding natural beauty.
Notes & Credits
Photography from project archives.
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Services
Our design services encompass architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture, with teams specializing in projects across the spectrum, from single-family homes to multifamily and mixed-use buildings, and from boutique commercial spaces to civic spaces, like parks. We love designing the integrated fabric of structures, spaces, and places that create vibrant neighborhoods.
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