Houzz Tour: Rugged Modern Style on a Montana Lake
Architects design a home, a guesthouse and outdoor areas that capture the site’s magic and stunning views
This family had enjoyed vacations near Montana’s spectacular Flathead Lake for two decades — swimming, boating, hiking and snow skiing. After their kids had grown up, the parents decided to build a home that would draw everyone together for family gatherings. They hired Pearson Design Group to create a home that would accommodate multiple generations. The architects kept in mind the feeling a traditional lake cabin evokes, and the result is a rustic modern home that fits into the rugged landscape and works with the steeply sloped site.
The 2,400-square-foot main house has three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a powder room. The boxy sections flanking the gabled roof area contain the dining room on the left and the primary bedroom on the right. The large window at the end of the breezeway provides a view through the dining room out to the lake.
The house is a mix of steel and wood, and the gabled roof has a standing-seam metal roof. A neighboring house on the left is fairly close by, so the architects used a louvered strategy on one side of the open breezeway to create privacy. The large wood slats are on rods and can pivot to open up or close off the view of the neighboring house.
The house is a mix of steel and wood, and the gabled roof has a standing-seam metal roof. A neighboring house on the left is fairly close by, so the architects used a louvered strategy on one side of the open breezeway to create privacy. The large wood slats are on rods and can pivot to open up or close off the view of the neighboring house.
Here’s a closer look at the slatted detail. The slats have a shou-sugi-ban finish, a traditional Japanese technique in which Japanese cypress is burned, giving it a blackened appearance. The blackened wood plays off the blackened steel used throughout the exterior and interior of the home.
This is the portion of the home with the gabled roof. “We wanted to keep things simple and make the house feel really casual,” Tollefson says. “We continued the barnwood into the interior to bring in a warm texture and to bring an element from the exterior inside.” Look closely at the wall on the right side of the kitchen to see the way the designers camouflaged the cabinetry and refrigerator behind the reclaimed wood.
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The kitchen is open to this living area, which has a Fireorb wood stove that can be turned to face different areas. The walls behind it have white noncombustible steel wainscoting for fire safety. The architects integrated blackened steel into the modern design — in the window trim and muntins, the structural beams and the openings between rooms.
The living room is a good example of the way the architects layered different materials to create the home’s warm, rugged modern look. The kitchen has reclaimed barnwood on the walls. The living room walls are covered in white pine planks with a semitransparent white stain. This stain allows the character of the knots and grain to show through. The ceiling is painted white, covering up those characteristics and lending an airier feel. The dark-stained oak flooring contrasts strongly with these lighter tones, grounding the rooms.
The living room is a good example of the way the architects layered different materials to create the home’s warm, rugged modern look. The kitchen has reclaimed barnwood on the walls. The living room walls are covered in white pine planks with a semitransparent white stain. This stain allows the character of the knots and grain to show through. The ceiling is painted white, covering up those characteristics and lending an airier feel. The dark-stained oak flooring contrasts strongly with these lighter tones, grounding the rooms.
The furnishings provide layers of warm textures as well. A live-edge wood coffee table, leather chairs, sheepskin throws and woven poufs cozy up the casual modern space. So does the window seat in the bay window.
Browse side tables in the Houzz Shop
Browse side tables in the Houzz Shop
The dining room’s flat ceiling creates a cozy gathering space for the family, and the built-in banquette accommodates a crowd.
Driftwood pieces from the lake draw the eye up above the opening. The opening is covered with a three-eighths-inch layer of blackened plate steel.
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Driftwood pieces from the lake draw the eye up above the opening. The opening is covered with a three-eighths-inch layer of blackened plate steel.
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Look through the window to see how the exterior’s reclaimed-barnwood cladding continues seamlessly onto the interior wall. This marks the line between the gabled volume of the living room-kitchen and the dining room.
Large windows provide expansive views to the lake from the dining room. A glass base makes the sculpture appear as though it’s floating on the lake. The wood of the dining table adds a casual primitive element, while the straight lines of the thick top make it modern.
Large windows provide expansive views to the lake from the dining room. A glass base makes the sculpture appear as though it’s floating on the lake. The wood of the dining table adds a casual primitive element, while the straight lines of the thick top make it modern.
The other side of the vaulted living room and kitchen contains a hallway and the stairs, with the primary bedroom beyond. The opening seen here is also encased in steel. The light-stained pine boards extend across the hall’s ceiling, providing a compressed feel between the larger spaces.
Windows wrap a corner of the primary bedroom, providing beautiful views for the homeowners to wake up to. The ivory walls are drywall, which lends a restful and refined feeling that puts the focus on the views. Painted planks on the ceiling add a more casual, cozy touch. Interior designer Leisa Kaiser accentuated the light neutral color palette with dollops of lake blue and dashes of gold that play off the evergreen trees.
This photo showing the main house was taken from the bridge that leads to the guesthouse. The lower level of the main house contains two bedrooms and bathrooms. Also seen here are the decks off the living room and lower level. The upper deck includes a grill and the lower deck has a hot tub. Tollefson says the vines have covered the concrete at the base of the house since this photo was taken.
The guesthouse roof deck is located just off the bridge to the left.
The guesthouse roof deck is located just off the bridge to the left.
Here’s a photo of the home and guesthouse, taken from the edge of the lake. It gives a sense of how well the architecture navigates the steep and rugged slope, which has a 60-foot vertical drop from the driveway to the lake.
The guesthouse is to the left, with the bridge on its right. The structure is 1,000 square feet, with one bedroom and 1½ bathrooms. There’s a big hangout space and powder room on the lower level, a bedroom suite with a sleeping porch on the second level and a roof deck on top. Off the lower level is an outdoor kitchen and dining area, with a patio and fire pit on the right. The house faces west, so the architects installed shade sails to protect the lower level and patio from the intense sunlight.
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The guesthouse is to the left, with the bridge on its right. The structure is 1,000 square feet, with one bedroom and 1½ bathrooms. There’s a big hangout space and powder room on the lower level, a bedroom suite with a sleeping porch on the second level and a roof deck on top. Off the lower level is an outdoor kitchen and dining area, with a patio and fire pit on the right. The house faces west, so the architects installed shade sails to protect the lower level and patio from the intense sunlight.
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Kaiser outfitted the guesthouse roof deck with cushy furniture, making it the perfect spot to watch the sun set.
Another great sunset viewing spot is this deck off the guesthouse bedroom suite.
“This is the big lake hangout room, with a kitchenette and bar for relaxing and entertaining on the lake,” Tollefson says. It’s a great place to gather after swimming or boating.
Here’s a look at the property from out on the lake. Large boulders were craned in for erosion control. The home is a favorite spot for everyone in the family, and they look forward to making memories together here for years to come.
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple who host extended family
Location: Bigfork, Montana
Size: Main house: 2,400 square feet (223 square meters); three bedrooms, 3½ bathrooms. Guesthouse: 1,000 square feet (93 square meters); one bedroom, 1½ bathrooms
Designers: Larry Pearson and Justin Tollefson (architecture) and Leisa Kaiser (interior design) of Pearson Design Group
Contractor: Denman Construction
The property has a main house, a garage and a guesthouse. The garage on the left connects with the main house on the right through an open breezeway. A bridge connects the main house with the guesthouse below.
Reclaimed barnwood and snow fence cladding from the region give the modern structure a rustic cabin look. “The gray tones are this wood’s natural patina,” project architect Justin Tollefson says. “We wanted to keep the house feeling simple like a lake cabin and not too heavy.”
The main floor of the house, seen here, is divided into sections. The center section with the gabled roof contains the living room and kitchen. “We used different rooflines to express different rooms in the house. That space has a vaulted ceiling,” Tollefson says. “The different portions provide scale, massing and variety.” The gabled portion also nods to traditional lake cabin architecture.
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