4 Js With a View

Built Around the View

The view shaped every positioning and design choice from the start. We pulled the house back to the highest point on the lot and oriented every front-facing room to the water, including both bedrooms, the office, dining, living, and a basement bedroom. The dining room and an upstairs bedroom jut out in a tower-style section with windows on two sides, opening the view from two angles at once.

The basement doors open directly to the lake, so the view from the lower level reads the same as the view from upstairs. Cable railings on the porch and stairs keep the view open from every outdoor space while meeting code.

Kitchen Built to Feel Lived In

We designed the kitchen as a working room with character rather than a new-construction showpiece. We finished the alder cabinets with a custom stain. The range wall runs long, so we pushed the cabinets forward at each end to break up what would otherwise read as an institutional run. The extra-large, painted-green island has a built-in bookcase at one end, and the Fireclay backsplash tile picks up the island color. The clients wanted an old cook stove feel in the room, and we kept the design open long enough to bring in a propane stove late in the process that gave them exactly what they were looking for.

Designed for Generations

The design for this house was shaped as much by the future as by the present. We kept the primary bedroom and a large bathroom on the first floor to support aging in place. The bathrooms feature handmade-look shower tile in a half-offset pattern and dark blue painted vanities.

Upstairs, the bedrooms are sized for adult children and their partners, with lounging space so each couple has privacy when the family is together. The finished basement holds a kitchenette, a bedroom, a bathroom, and a home office that supports remote work from the house.