On the western shore of Lake Sammamish, a dilapidated, one-bedroom, 1,000-square-foot cottage at the bottom of a steep slope inhabited a spectacular setting with broad views of the lake and Cascade foothills. After permitting, we learned that the site allowed for a 5,000-square-foot residence.

 

The view was already the most-important aspect of this build. Our plan was to design a luxury home that took full advantage of this extraordinary asset, and that connected the home with the outdoors.

 

We designed a contemporary, three-story residence with a front façade comprised nearly entirely of windows, to bring the views inside. A great room with 18-foot-tall windows and stackable, sliding doors to a deck ensured the free flow of light and views.

 

The main floor features a living room, dining room and large, professional kitchen with an immense walk-in pantry. Upstairs, we positioned the large master suite to take in the best views, and there are two additional bedrooms. Downstairs, the lake level is the party zone, with a family room with wet bar, and stackable glass doors opening to an outdoor patio.

Since the home is on a steep slope, we installed both stairs and an elevator, for easy access to all floors. And by expanding the driveway to 35 feet in width (and applying shotcrete to stabilize the hillside), there is now abundant guest parking, so that the home can be fully utilized as the gorgeous recreational retreat that it now is.