View of the guest house showing the original gabled roof volume on the right, the gabled-roof addition on the left, and the shed roof entry addition bringing them together.

by What Shanni Saw

Exterior view of the James Guest House, showing the custom door and entry roof with exposed beams and steel. (c) SANDBOX & Vance Fox Photography

This 3,200 square foot Bainbridge Island house is designed for a young family that will commonly have extended stay guests. The house was designed with the concept of a series of living pavilions. Each pavilion takes in different views of the acreage beyond. The main pavilion houses the great room and children’s bedrooms above. The west pavilion houses a discrete guest suite. The north pavilion includes the utility and family rooms on the main floor and master suite on the second. The house is located along the grade that parallels the path of the sun. This prompted the development of the design to be rather thin in the north-south dimension which, in-turn allows for the most amount of daylight to be garnered by the interior of the building as possible. The project included a detached garage which houses an office space that bridges the parking bays below. Designed by BC&J Architecture.

Photo: Shannon Malone © 2013 Houzz

David Swift

Bamboo kitchenette, open, and walnut wardrobe cindy trim photography

A view across the driveway and lawns to the guest cottage.

750 sf guest house

Gates to Stone Arcade to Guest House Rick O'Donnell Architect Allison Cartwright, www.twisttours.com, photographer Russ Phillips - Keller Williams Realty, photographer

Originally built to house a garage, workshop and wood storage, this simple structure has been gently re-imagined into a unique guesthouse with a rustic accents and modern comforts. The exterior retains the classic barn appearance, with the addition of carefully placed windows and industrial-looking Corten steel siding. The introduction of a large dormer to the center of the structure was a simple move, but provided multiple functions: • breaks up the 8’-0” ceiling on the main floor, letting in additional daylight and providing visual relief to the otherwise low ceiling • creates circulation space with the rustic steel stair and bridge • utilizes reclaimed wood siding on the ceiling and walls, contrasting with white drywall and clean bright finishes • visually connects the two upstairs bedrooms with the main floor The focus of the interior was to preserve and accentuate the barn features as much as possible, and have a warm and cozy, energy efficient guest house. Programming included two bedrooms, two bathrooms, dining area, farmhouse kitchen and pantry, living room and laundry room. Materials and furnishes were selected to create a clean, comfortable and inviting interior with a rustic edge. The exposed steel beam was left unfinished showing its existing wear and tear, and the new steel stair was left raw to eventually age and match the beam. Durable and economical oak floors were used throughout. Traditional subway tile and penny rounds contrast with the modern, clean lines of the kitchen and bathrooms. A custom sliding barn door adds texture to the kitchen and closes off the pantry and laundry room from the space. Furniture was a mix of new and existing, which makes the spaces both familiar and comfortable. All in all, there is a timeless look to the end product; a traditional farmstead structure has definitely been giving a great new lease on life. Andrew Pogue

The ultimate backyard getaway, or deep woods retreat. Original design has been one of our most popular cottages since we started in 1995. These cabin kits have an estimated assembly time of only 30 hours for 2 people, with basic tools and skills. Also available as diy guest cottage house plans, or fully assembled mini home.

john unrue