Featured in Upstate Lake Living Magazine and e-architect.
Rauch Architecture was commissioned by an antiques dealer to design a house that felt both classic and contemporary, and maximized views of the lake.
The house is thoughtfully situated at an angle on the 2 acre property to maximize the buildable frontage between the required setbacks while taking advantage of all possible views of the lake.
The site has views of the lake on all 4 sides, so we decided to approach the design without differentiating between the “front” and “back” of the house. This resulted in a unique entry sequence, where the main entry to the house is between the garage and screened-in porch at what would normally be considered the “side” of the house.
Each room in the house has a view of the lake. The family room features an entire wall of doors and windows opening onto the lake, and vaulted toungue-in-groove ceilings reflecting light deep into the space.
The concept of maximizing views of the lake extends throughout the rest of the house, including in the upstairs bedrooms. The upstairs bedrooms have oversized windows that each have a panoramic view of the lake, accentuated by vaulted ceilings.
A central staircase connects the ground and second floor, and ties in with the shaker-inspired detailing and trim throughout, providing a perfect home for the homeowner’s antiques collection.
Though inspired by shaker principles of simplicity and the traditional forms of barns and farmhouses of local architecture, this house takes a novel approach to blurring the boundary between inside and outside. French doors open up to porches on all sides of the house, allowing a seamless indoor-outdoor experience from all rooms on the ground floor.
By combining traditional vernacular language with a more contemporary approach to space-making, Rauch Architecture was able to create a truly unique and timeless house that stands as a testament to contemporary lake living.
