In details large and small, the design for this family home pays homage to its spectacular setting on a curving bay in the San Juan Islands.

Tall posts lining the entry corridor evoke a sculptural forest and direct the view through the front door to a distant strip of land. Each of the three shed-roofed structures is sited to capture vistas through floor-to-ceiling windows; the first two house the family's common areas, while the bedrooms are tucked into the third and most intimate structure.

Simple materials used throughout — such as a metal-clad fireplace set against a board-formed concrete wall at the end of each wing — keep the focus on the surrounding beauty.

Great idea Make a hearth do double-duty. A raised blue-stone hearth extends the length of the wall to provide additional seating or shelf space. The steel frame and legs give it the look of furniture.

DESIGN Cutler Anderson Architects, Bainbridge Island, WA (206/842-4710)

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