Flexible two-family getaway

Get ideas from a summer home built for sharing on Washington's Hood Canal

  • Share
  • Yahoo BuzzFacebookTwitterDigg
  • |
  • Print
  • |
  • Email
  • |
  • Add Comment
  • |
Text size:AAA
  • Dual-family kitchen

    The kitchen is a simple line of cabinets counters and stove along one wall of the main living space.

    Click to Enlarge

Photo: Thomas J. Story

Lessons in the art of sharing

Here are four tips from these families on making one vacation house work for all.

Use and replace
Staples like sugar, coffee, and pasta are stored in the pantry, and the shopping list is constantly updated. Each family brings fresh ingredients as needed. Lisa Mutty and Libby Williams confer to organize joint meals.

Communicate often
The families have made a habit of contacting each other before arriving for big events like birthdays or large-scale sleepovers.

Plan for easy storage
An outdoor-oriented cabin means lots of bulky outdoor equipment like kayaks and inner tubes. Until recently, the screened porch served as their temporary parking space; the families just built a 16- by 7-foot storage shed.

Pick up after yourself
Each family does their own laundry, and the kids are responsible for keeping the bunk area reasonably shipshape.

Design:  Thomas Lawrence, Lawrence Architecture, Seattle (206/332-1832)

 

Daniel Gregory

PAGE:123


Add your comment

The rules: Keep it clean, and stay on the subject or we might delete your comment. If you see inappropriate language, e-mail us. An asterisk * indicates a required field.

500 characters remaining

Sunset > To Go
  • Subscribe
  • Give a Gift
  • Newsletters
  • Wine Club
Add Sunset to:
My Yahoo! My Google My MSN My AOL

Advertisement


Most Popular > Sunset
1
Best Thanksgiving sides

Our favorite mashed and sweet potatoes, savory stuffings, herb rolls, cranberries....

A Thanksgiving side dish of Cornbread and Gorgonzola Dressing.