Photography: Benjamin Benschneider
Rustic. Modern. Cozy. Sophisticated. This mountain retreat designed by DeForest Architects bridges two worlds with natural ease.The owners spent many seasons on Lake Wenatchee in the Cascade Mountains before finding the perfect spot to build. They came to DeForest with enthusiasm for the design process and a vision of a house that blended seamlessly with the site. Inspired by local rock formations, the house is composed of two simple wedge-shaped forms. The upper one houses a master and guest suite. The lower one is wood and glass pavillion that opens to the surrounding land and lake.Some key themes included flexibility: a secret room, sleeping porch + loft, and built-in alcoves make this cabin cozy for two and comfortable for a crowd a natural mix: combining the warmth of wood with durable tile, stone, and composites designing for four seasons: low-maintenance materials, overhangs to shed snow and create summer shade, indoor-outdoor spacesKnown for its inventiveness and hands-on approach to working with clients, DeForest works throughout the Northwest, Northern California, and Hawaii. Their website includes a peek inside the design process at http://www.deforestarchitects.com/projects/north-lake-wenatchee/