How to Design a Lake House

After snatching up a narrow piece of land on Lake Chelan, Washington—but knowing they couldn’t yet afford to build—Seattleites Aaron and Hilary Richmond bought a 32-foot Airstream, and camped there on weekends for eight years while they piggy-banked funds. When the couple decided to finally break ground, they sought the same indoor-outdoor living their temporary digs provided, but on a grander and more accommodating scale for visiting friends and family.

Architects Steve Hoedemaker and Kelly Jimenez (of Seattle architecture firm Bosworth Hoedemaker) delivered, starting with a spacious deck that’s a vital vein to the great room. In warm months, the axis of living runs from the open kitchen and dining space through glass bifold doors to the deck. With a fire table, electric heating, and outdoor speakers, the deck is the family’s living room from May to September. In the colder months, the axis rotates to the indoor living space, where the family camps out in front of the fireplace to read or play with Legos. Big south-facing windows end at floor level, creating the sensation that the room is hovering above the lake.

Architecture: Steve Hoedemaker and Kelly Jimenez, Bosworth Hoedemaker, Seattle; bosworthhoedemaker.com. Interior Design: Amy Baker, Seattle; amybakerdesign.com. Landscape Design: Randy Allworth, Seattle; allworthdesign.com. General Contractor: Rimmer & Roeter Construction, Inc.

Silvery gray reclaimed wood, previous page, helps the tall house stay unobtrusive. Bonus: It’s basically maintenance-free. Board-formed concrete accents the barn-like façade.

The open kitchen, above, was a big upgrade from the one in the Airstream. A reclaimed-wood bar fits a lineup of kids, and a fir dining table on casters can be rolled onto the deck. Stainless steel counters with a raised marine edge prevent spills from reaching the end-grain wood floor. Lighting, Schoolhouse Electric.

“The furnishings are deceptively low-maintenance,” says interior designer Amy Baker. Outdoor-fabric cushions soften the two fireplace benches. A patchwork rug is made of worn rugs that were cut and sewn together. “You can’t ruin it,” Baker says. Cushion fabric, Perennials.

The windows in the living room are strategically placed to make it seem as if the neighboring homes don’t exist. “We put the windows up high that instead look into the trees,” Jimenez says. A floating concrete shelf extends from the reading nook benches to the hearth. The reclaimed wood shelves are the same as the kitchen.

From the living room, you can look up and see the master bedroom’s peek-a-boo door (protected by a railing of sturdy chicken wire when open).

“Hilary and Aaron wanted flow and a connection throughout the house,” says Hoedemaker. To that end, he and Jimenez added a peekaboo door to the bedroom, like you’d see in a hayloft, above the living room. The couple can look down from the bedroom but also slide the pocket door closed. Bed, Crate and Barrel.

The designers thought of the bunkroom “as a 3-D world for kids, with a combination of ladders and beds and storage,” says Hoedemaker. But Hilary confesses: “Adults like to sleep there too.” Each guest gets a cubby, night-light, and plaid camp blanket.

Sandwiched between the bunkroom and a guest bedroom on the main level, the communal guest bath “has a camplike feel but still maintains privacy,” says Jimenez. A trough sink invites multiple people to brush their teeth at once. The shower and toilet rooms close when in use to keep the rest of the space accessible. Sink, Kohler.

A long hallway on the main level runs from an exterior entry past a guest bedroom, bathroom, and bunkroom to the kitchen, where a stairwell leads to the master loft and basement. Cabinets and cubbies for coats, food, and sheets turn the walkway into a mudroom, pantry, and linen closet all in one.

A barely visible frameless glass rail makes deck dwellers feel as though they’re perched on the prow of a ship. Baker outfitted the space with a sofa, fire table, and rockers. “The fireplace has a wide lip that doubles as a table for drinks and small plates,” she says. Floor-level speakers cast music toward the house instead of toward neighbors.

“When you pull up to the house, you look through the glass living room doors to the lake and immediately feel relaxed and happy,” says Hilary. The soft green courtyard in front is the frequent scene of badminton tournaments. Doors on the left lead to the main floor guest bedroom.

Towel hooks hang right outside the door to the den on the home’s lower level, creating a summertime outdoor mudroom.

The best vacation homes hide all reminders of the real world, and this carport is proof. “Originally it was going to be open, but we decided to cover it so that once the Richmonds unload everything, they don’t see the car again until they leave,” says Hoedemaker. An open-air pathway connects the structure to the house’s main hallway.

The indoor mudroom was carved out of the wide hallway near the kitchen. Iron wall hooks that look like folded leather straps secured to the wall add a rustic quality.