House 2
Bill and Martha are avid cyclists, and loved the steep wooded river valley site they
found near the state forest. The challenge was to shoehorn the house and garage
between the required septic field and conservation setbacks.
A steep switchback
driveway marked by hefty timber bollards descends between the house and garage. The
house is perched on the edge of the hill, midway up into the surrounding tree
canopy. Entry is via a cedar bridge from the driveway to the foyer.
The interior
lays out along the hill, with the master suite angling off toward the gently-sloped
east end. The living room and screened porch lie at the steeper west end, with the
cascading river below. Corner windows expand the views on the compressed site.
Cedar
decks cling to the rear of the house, and another bridge connects the screened porch
to the edge of the hill. The lower level houses the 'biker's bunkhouse' and meets
the ground with a small terrace before descending towards the river. Upstairs are
two small bedrooms-in-the-trees.
Clad completely in knotty cedar, the house is in
and of the woods, with a treehouse quality. The interior continues this theme with
variegated bamboo flooring, laminated pine stairs, and tension cable guardrails.
Energy Star certified.
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