The house has the appearance of two small cabins. “We knew early on that these two forms would be connected by a spine down the middle,” Butrim says. The
west wing, on the left, contains the family room, dining room and kitchen in one large open space. The east wing contains three bedrooms and 2½ bathrooms. The large window between the two wings marks the structure’s spine, a long corridor between them.
Creating the two asymmetrical forms broke up the scale of the house and gave it a San Juan Islands cabin feel. Butrim also looked to agricultural and maritime buildings, as well as Native American longhouses, for architectural inspiration. The materials, which include weathered cedar at random widths, tinted concrete and dark metal roofing, accomplish two goals. They nod to the history of cabins built on this island, and they help the building blend into the wooded site.
“Originally, the front entry led directly into the corridor,” Butrim says. “However, our clients thought that would feel too formal and they wanted this to be a more casual house. It also felt like an entrance you’d have if you’d driven from the road and down the driveway, which doesn’t happen here. Instead, we thought about them entering the house from the approach from the dock.” The front entry is located on the left side of the house. (The door is open in this photo.)
Creating the two asymmetrical forms broke up the scale of the house and gave it a San Juan Islands cabin feel. Butrim also looked to agricultural and maritime buildings, as well as Native American longhouses, for architectural inspiration. The materials, which include weathered cedar at random widths, tinted concrete and dark metal roofing, accomplish two goals. They nod to the history of cabins built on this island, and they help the building blend into the wooded site.
“Originally, the front entry led directly into the corridor,” Butrim says. “However, our clients thought that would feel too formal and they wanted this to be a more casual house. It also felt like an entrance you’d have if you’d driven from the road and down the driveway, which doesn’t happen here. Instead, we thought about them entering the house from the approach from the dock.” The front entry is located on the left side of the house. (The door is open in this photo.)