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Houses • Chelan County, United States Architects: DeForest Architects

Area Area of this architecture project Area: 2890 ft²

Year Completion year of this architecture project Year: 2010

Photographs photographs: Benjamin Benschneider

Contractor: M&M Quality Construction

Structural: Evergreen Design Company

Interiors: Theresa Benny Interior Design

Landscape: Richard Pulkrabeck

City: Chelan County

Country: United States

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Text description provided by the architects. Rustic. Modern. Cozy. Sophisticated. This mountain retreat was designed to bridge two worlds with natural ease. Tucked into a sloping site on shore of the lake, the house reveals itself as a series of “stops along a trail” that continues through the house to the water’s edge.

The site is on the north shore of Lake Wenatchee with excellent southern exposure and sweeping views of the lake and mountains. The house was sited behind the shoreline trees allowing the trees to provide summer shade, screen the house from the lake, and frame views of the Cascades. Local, durable materials were chosen throughout to reduce maintenance and harmonize with the site.

The house is distilled into two simple bars, each with a shed roof. The upper bar contains bedrooms and bathrooms; the lower one is a glassy pavilion that includes the kitchen, living, dining, and screened porch. Every room captures a new and striking view of the lake and the surrounding Cascades. It is a modern design at home in its mountain surroundings.

As a four-season retreat, the house is designed to be comfortable for two yet expand to accommodate a crowd with built-in sleeping nooks, sleeping porch. A large bunk and TV room are hidden behind a hinged bookshelf. The interior palette builds on the site’s existing colors and textures using warm natural materials. Western red cedar and Douglas fir are native to the Cascades and an integral part of the local landscape and therefore, the design palette. Its natural warmth and texture complements the clean lines and simplicity of the North Lake Wenatchee House.