lakefront mountain home Hendricks Architecture designed was recently built in Northern Idaho. The home faces north looking over Lake Pend Oreille, with great views of Sandpoint, Schweitzer Mountain Resort, and the Selkirk and Cabinet Mountains.
The property included an outdated lake home. The layout of the existing home and view corridors didn’t work for the owner's tastes, and wasn’t very energy efficient, so they decided to tear it down and start over. The Owner's mountain style home wishlist included a rustic, yet refined look on the exterior, with cedar, stone and timbers. They wanted the interior a little more modern and cozy, with well done finishes, and higher ceilings. They also wanted views from all the major rooms.
The existing home didn't get any winter sun, so they wanted to bring in as much natural light as possible, while still maintaining some privacy. We designed in a cupola (held up by timber trusses) and a couple of dormer windows to add more natural light, along with other windows. I knew we succeeded when I showed the house to a client and they asked me why I didn't turn the lights off when we were leaving. When I replied that they in fact were off, they gave me that wide-eyed wow look that's always fun to see.
Two existing garages were kept, one of which was connected to the new house and given new exterior materials. A third garage was torn down to make space for construction materials, as it was a tight lot with limited access. A long mudroom/laundry/pantry connects the garage to the house. A great room, which includes an open kitchen, dining, and living areas, has breathtaking views out to the lake. The master bedroom also has great views, along with its own fireplace, and a large nook for her desk and bookshelves.
In the daylight basement below are bedrooms, an exercise room and office. The guest bedroom is a favorite, and it looks out between massive stone pillars forming an arch, which frames the water and mountain views. Because the home is on a fairly steep slope (about 30 degrees), the basement sits back against the hill. We designed mechanical and storage in the rear, and included a wine room that is so naturally cool year round that a refrigeration unit isn’t necessary.The home was built jointly by Dan Fogerty of Sandpoint, Idaho and Denman Construction of Whitefish, Montana. Photos by Marie Dominique Verdier.
John Hendricks, AIA Architect
Hendricks Architecture, Idaho mountain architects specializing in mountain style lakefront homes and cabins.
Previous Post: Hydronic Radiant Heating
