lake house
This new family home is located on a beautiful wooded lot that slopes down in two directions to wide, sunset views over the lake.
The family wanted a primary living space on the main or street level that still felt connected to the lake. While decks are a simple solution to adding main-level exterior space on lake-front homes, they often feel like an after-thought, creating a damp shadowy space below, and block daylight to the lower level. This large patio is over lower level living space, so it feels integral to the home and still allows for unhindered light and views at the lower level. The kitchen, sitting, and dining room open directly to the patio with a wide lift-slide door. A gracious stair leads straight to the lakefront below, creating an easy pathway for guests from the entry down and out to the lake.
Thanks to Bill Lindhout Photography for the beautiful finished photography of our Lake House project.
This evening shot is our favorite.
This modern lake residence is located north of Grand Rapids, Michigan and is perfect for entertaining. The design embraces the narrow lake lot providing privacy but maintaining lake views throughout.
See all images and more information about the project.
Excerpts from our "Ask the Expert" segment with Shelley Irwin on December 17:
Q: How closely do you work with the families during a home renovation or new design?
A: Building or renovating a home is a very personal experience. We work to discover what’s mportant to them. We ask a series of questions to fully understand their needs. We want to know what each room is used for and at what time of day. From the answers we develop a few options with various rooms and layouts. We present those options in the form of physical models on a small scale. Once we settle on a design we develop that model on the computer, both in 2D and 3D, it’s important for people to see what their house is going to look like when we’re done.
Let's look at an example…