Edelweiss House
PACIFIC NORTHWEST DESIGN — methow valley architecture — RESIDENTIAL DESIGN — custom home
METHOW VALLEY, WASHINGTON
This home, on two acres, near Mazama in the Methow Valley, was sited to take maximum advantage of a south-facing orientation. Its horseshoe shape creates a courtyard between the wings of the home which is cooler in the summer and cozy with a fire pit in the winter. The home’s design highlights the indoor/outdoor relationship that characterizes Methow Valley life.
The twelve-foot-high bank of windows and NanaWall in the great room face southwest and provide transparency through the home, while framing valley and mountain views. The interior wood ceiling extends out through the overhang above the veranda, further drawing the eye out and bringing in the outdoors. The roof height was intentional, to protect from the summer heat, and allow winter sun in to warm up the space.
A centerline from the kitchen to the fireplace wall is a nod to formality. The chandelier anchors the space from either side patios and the kitchen/living room axis. The open kitchen, clad in local Douglas fir, was designed for those social interactions that happen best around food.
The primary bedroom wing includes one bedroom, bathroom, walk-in closet with laundry room and dog bed, and connection to the outdoor dog run. Obscure glass and a built-in Douglas fir headboard create the shared wall with the bathroom, bringing in extra light to the spaces.
On the opposite side, the utility wing starts just off the kitchen with a pantry and food prep area. A multipurpose room includes space for a guest bedroom with Murphy bed and built-in cabinetry, an office, and a game area. The area can be separated by a pocketed curtain.
Green design: siting takes advantage of solar gain, use of local materials including the local quarry
Featured:
- See Portrait Magazine’s feature on Edelweiss House here
- Dwell Magazine + NanaWall present A Horseshoe-shaped Cabin in the Pacific Northwest Brings the Outside In
- Methow Homes 2022