This 3500-sq.-ft., four-bedroom lakefront cabin in northern Wisconsin was designed by architect Thomas R. Jones for very special clients—his parents Janette and Ray Jones. With their permanent residence in Southern California, Janette and Ray wanted to absorb as much of the beauty of the Upper Midwestern lake and woods as possible when at the cabin. Jones drew inspiration for the overall form of the cabin from the wood barns in the area. He designed the cabin’s south, lake-facing wall of glass and steel to allow for natural light and lake breezes to flow through the cabin’s open interior. The large overhang on this wall allows for warm sunlight to penetrate the cabin in winter while blocking the harsh summer sun. The warm wood and natural stone of the other walls anchor the cabin to its wooded site. The tower structure on the north wall is a tribute to Ray’s grandfather, a lighthouse keeper for over 30 years at the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. The tower houses the cabin’s three bathrooms. The top level is an observation area that Jones says is the most peaceful place in the cabin and “feels more like a tree house.”

Design: Thomas R. Jones, Thomas R. Jones Design, Trabuco Canyon, Calif.; trjdesign.com
Construction: Mike Arnstad, Arnstad Home Builders, Eau Claire, Wis.; arnstadhomebuilders.com
Photographs: Jeffrey Jacobs Photography, courtesy of Thomas R. Jones