FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter X Instagram Tiktok YouTube Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Restoration
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In
Design

A House for Now and the Future

A hillside home with a simple, barrier-free floor plan features an exercise pool in an enclosed courtyard.

By Will Foster Issue 155(Houses)
  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

Synopsis: A hillside home with a simple, barrier-free floor plan features an exercise pool in an enclosed courtyard.

Here in the Northwest, winters are long, wet and dark, the perfect environment for a raging case of cabin fever. After 20 years in a small house with tiny windows, my wife and I wanted a new home with plenty of space, a strong connection to the outdoors and lots of natural light. With a nod toward the future, Anne and I also wanted most of the house to be wheelchair-accessible, which created a more spacious house with wide doors, generous hallways and more space between furnishings.

Our requirements were simple. We don’t have kids, so our basic needs were straightforward: a master bedroom and bath, a guest suite, living/dining/kitchen areas, a small study and support spaces such as a laundry and garage. We also wanted an indoor pool.

Other requirements were more subtle. Our lifestyle is fairly informal, so we didn’t need separate dining or living rooms for entertaining. All spaces were meant to be used all the time. We also wanted to use straightforward materials in a natural manner.

I’ve always admired the National Parks architecture in the Northwest, from the grand lodges to the smaller structures such as picnic shelters and restroom facilities. These smaller buildings frequently were constructed with a high base of native stone topped with log walls and a heavy roof. This practical architecture looks at home in a natural setting and resists deterioration by holding the wood walls well above ground level. We used the same concept for our house, but instead of stone, we built our wooden house on a tall base of concrete block.

The house is topped with a standing-seam metal roof, which helps to shed the needles that fall from the surrounding evergreen trees. Inside, rough-sawn cedar plywood covers the house’s ceiling, which is separated visually from the walls by a dark, recessed band of trim. The dark trim band allows the plywood to read as one unbroken surface that runs from one end of the house to the other. This effect, combined with ample use of glass in the main living spaces, gives us the feeling of living in an open-air pavilion.

A court for all seasons

The interior court was conceived as an indoor/outdoor space and separates the guest area from the main living spaces. But other intentions are more subtle. As a part of the entry, the court combines elements of the exterior with the warmth and shelter of an interior space. During our long, gray Northwest winters, this space is a welcome retreat for swimming and relaxing in the abundant natural light that streams in through the huge skylight and south-facing windows. During warmer weather, windows in the south wall slide along the outside of the house to create a 15-ft. wide opening. Similarly, the three sections of the front door fold back into a 12-ft. wide opening that looks back into the trees.

 

For more photos, drawings, and details, click the View PDF button below:

 

Fine Homebuilding Recommended Products

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Original Speed Square

A Speed Square or rafter square can help you cut rafters, measure angles, and accurately guide your saw for straight and angled cuts. It's a must have.
Buy at Amazon

Plate Level

A plate level allows to you plumb walls accurately because it registers off the plates without touching potentially warped or twisted studs. This one can reach the plates on 12-ft. tall walls.
Buy at Amazon

Smart String Line

String lines — sometimes called dry lines — are invaluable for straightening walls and a million other things. The reel makes it easy to stretch and wind the string.
Buy at Amazon

Sign up for eletters today and get the latest how-to from Fine Homebuilding, plus special offers.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters
×

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters
View PDF

New Feature

Fine Homebuilding Forums

Ask questions, offer advice, and share your work

  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

Up Next

Video Shorts

Featured Story

FHB Podcast Segment: Repairing an Old Home While Maintaining Its Integrity

Learn about different approaches to making updates and repairs to older homes with historic charm.

Featured Video

Builder’s Advocate: An Interview With Viewrail

Learn more about affordable, modern floating stairs, from design to manufacturing to installation.

Related Stories

  • Beat the Heat: Cool Innovations
  • Scaled to Suit the Site
  • Materials Make a Midcentury Remodel
  • Modern Mountain Farmhouse

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
View More Create Post

Highlights

Fine Homebuilding All Access
Fine Homebuilding Podcast
Tool Tech
Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20

"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Video

View All Videos
  • FHB Podcast Segment: Repairing an Old Home While Maintaining Its Integrity
  • Making and Installing Wood Wall Paneling
  • FHB Podcast Segment: Designing and Building an Efficient Slab-On-Grade Home
  • Putting Drywall Sanders to the Test: Power, Precision, and Dust Control
View All

Architecture and Design

View All Architecture and Design Articles
  • Anneke Dunnington, Carpenter
  • Tall Deck on a Sloped Lot
  • FHB Podcast Segment: A Homemade Radiant Heat Floor Assembly
  • Breathing New Life into Original Windows
View All Architecture and Design Articles

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 331 - June 2025
    • A More Resilient Roof
    • Tool Test: You Need a Drywall Sander
    • Ducted vs. Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Issue 330 - April/May 2025
    • Deck Details for Durability
    • FAQs on HPWHs
    • 10 Tips for a Long-Lasting Paint Job
  • Issue 329 - Feb/Mar 2025
    • Smart Foundation for a Small Addition
    • A Kominka Comes West
    • Making Small Kitchens Work
  • Issue 328 - Dec/Jan 2024
    • How a Pro Replaces Columns
    • Passive House 3.0
    • Tool Test: Compact Line Lasers
  • Issue 327 - November 2024
    • Repairing Damaged Walls and Ceilings
    • Plumbing Protection
    • Talking Shop

Fine Home Building

Newsletter Sign-up

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox.

  • Green Building Advisor

    Building science and energy efficiency advice, plus special offers, in your inbox.

  • Old House Journal

    Repair, renovation, and restoration tips, plus special offers, in your inbox.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters

Follow

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2025 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

  • Home Group
  • Antique Trader
  • Arts & Crafts Homes
  • Bank Note Reporter
  • Cabin Life
  • Cuisine at Home
  • Fine Gardening
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Green Building Advisor
  • Garden Gate
  • Horticulture
  • Keep Craft Alive
  • Log Home Living
  • Military Trader/Vehicles
  • Numismatic News
  • Numismaster
  • Old Cars Weekly
  • Old House Journal
  • Period Homes
  • Popular Woodworking
  • Script
  • ShopNotes
  • Sports Collectors Digest
  • Threads
  • Timber Home Living
  • Traditional Building
  • Woodsmith
  • World Coin News
  • Writer's Digest
Active Interest Media logo
X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Online Learning

  • Courses
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • FHB House
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • X
  • YouTube
  • instagram
  • facebook
  • pinterest
  • Tiktok

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 81%

Subscribe

You have 1 free article remaining.

Get complete site access, including thousands of videos, how-to tips, tool reviews, and design features.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

Privacy Policy Update

We use cookies, pixels, script and other tracking technologies to analyze and improve our service, to improve and personalize content, and for advertising to you. We also share information about your use of our site with third-party social media, advertising and analytics partners. You can view our Privacy Policy here and our Terms of Use here.

Cookies

Analytics

These cookies help us track site metrics to improve our sites and provide a better user experience.

Advertising/Social Media

These cookies are used to serve advertisements aligned with your interests.

Essential

These cookies are required to provide basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website.

Delete My Data

Delete all cookies and associated data