A contemporary approach to rustic cottage design, Cottage on the Lake is a resilient residence for an active family that spends their summers by the water and regularly convenes large groups of friends. Our clients wanted a house that would be welcoming and hardwearing, poetic and unfussy, and in intimate conversation with its natural surroundings. 

On the approach from the driveway, a sweeping roof appears as if it is almost emerging from the earth. A generous dormer protrudes from the roof structure, adding space to create bigger footprints for the children’s bedrooms on the second floor and bathing them in light. A strategically placed ribbon of windows on the ground-floor below the overhang offer direct views through the home out to the lake. The glazed reveal introduces translucency, helping to create the impression that the roof is hovering above the ground.

We sited the home very carefully, stitching it into the topography to take advantage of the steep downslope and maximize its physical and visual connections to the land and the lake. Navigating the sharp grade change between the driveway- and lake-facing sides of the property required building a larger roof whose elongated expression simplifies the building’s geometry to accommodate a more spacious program. The roof sits askew to the topographical lines, extending out so far on the northwest side that it appears as though it is practically kissing the ground.

Designed to host big meals and gatherings, the communal space steps down from the entry and is defined by a kitchen with broad prepping and serving surfaces, a long double-width dining-room table, extensive white oak millwork, and eastern white pine boards on the walls and ceiling. A statement fireplace made of granite with a custom concrete hearth pulls focus in the otherwise open and expansive space, picking up on the grey large-format tile and finishes in the kitchen. The living room is adjacent to a screened-in porch with a small wood-burning stove for the shoulder seasons, while an operable glass façade draws lake views into the shared areas. The entry level includes the principal bedroom, ensuite bathroom, and a modest home office, the second floor houses four bedrooms and a shared bathroom, and the lower level includes a bedroom that opens out to a firepit that sits steps above the lake.

Images: James Brittain