Houzz Tour: In Washington, a Modern Beauty on the Bay
A concrete, cedar and glass contemporary Northwest home opens directly to the water
A father and his two children wanted a modern home that took full advantage of its breathtaking surroundings without sticking out like a sore thumb. With a material palette meant to blend from the property’s rocky cliffs to the water’s edge, this modern gem pays homage to both nature and design.
Landscape designer Noah Booker restored the shoreline by adding native plants and beach grass to the property along the banks of bay. “The concrete matches the massive boulders on site, the cedar connects to the trees, and the glass allows for views from every room,” architect Regan McClellan says.
An adze, an ancient cutting tool similar to an ax, was used to carve the 10-by-5-foot cedar front door. “The hand-carved door has these wonderful gouges and random textures that could never have been created by a machine,” McClellan says.
Stepping through the front door, one enters a glass atrium with an iron stairwell that connects three floors. Single pendant Bocci lights drip from the ceiling. McClellan created a mockup of the lights using string and foam balls to create the ideal placement for the real fixtures.
On the first floor, four sliding doors on a track can be pushed aside to create an open wall that leads to the backyard and beachfront. Friends and family members can go directly from the kitchen counter, created from a single 14-foot slab of live-edge fir, to an outdoor seating area.
When the weather turns brisk, the family can warm up by the wood-burning fireplace with a cast-in-place concrete surround and a mantle made of flamed cedar. “First we used a blowtorch on the mantle, then we used a wire whisk to add some texture, and then we finished with a clear coat of varnish,” McClellan says.
The concrete surround and bench appear to float above the polished concrete floors and a store of firewood. “On a chilly winter night in the Northwest, you can never have a enough firewood,” McClellan says.
The home’s master suite takes up the entire top floor. The bedroom at the center features a wall with the same flame-treated cedar found above the first-floor fireplace.
The bedroom’s sliding door leads to an open balcony with breathtaking views of Bellingham Bay.
The master bathroom features a double-sided sink wrapped around a cement partition wall. Highly polished black granite tops the vanity. Radiant heat in the flooring keeps bare feet warm.
A free-standing soaker tub sits in front of an open shower. Glass doors open outward to let ocean breezes in, while a waist-high glass partition gives bathers privacy without obstructing the view.
Tub: Elise, MTI
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Tub: Elise, MTI
Browse more homes by style:
Small Homes | Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: A homeowner and his two children
Location: Bellingham, Washington
Size: Three bedrooms, three bathrooms
Designers: McClellan Architects and landscape design firm Shelterbelt
The home is built into the side of a cliff and covered in a combination of untreated cedar, concrete and glass. From the cliffside road with its stunning views of Bellingham Bay, you could easily miss the entrance to this home’s steeply descending driveway.