My Houzz: A Rustic US Home Designed to Withstand Bushfires
Watch how a couple found an architect on Houzz who designed their bushfire-resistant holiday house in Washington, USA
Becky Harris
26 February 2020
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More
It’s only a few hours’ drive from Seattle, USA, but the Methow Valley on the eastern side of the Cascade mountains in Washington state feels like a different world. The beautiful valley gets ample snow in winter, making it a destination for cross-country skiers and other snow sports. In summer, the area gets very dry, and hikers and mountain bikers enjoy kilometres of connected trails.
Colin and Alisa Sands and their three kids, who all hail from Washington’s western shore, built a second home here to enjoy all the valley has to offer. But with the area’s dry climate in summer comes the risk of bushfires, so adhering to fire-wise design principles was a must. For help, the Sands hired builder and friend Justin Hamlin of Impel Construction, who suggested they bring on architect Dan Nelson of Designs Northwest Architects. After seeing Nelson’s previous projects on Houzz, the couple knew he was the right person to create a modern-rustic dream home that would last for generations.
Colin and Alisa Sands and their three kids, who all hail from Washington’s western shore, built a second home here to enjoy all the valley has to offer. But with the area’s dry climate in summer comes the risk of bushfires, so adhering to fire-wise design principles was a must. For help, the Sands hired builder and friend Justin Hamlin of Impel Construction, who suggested they bring on architect Dan Nelson of Designs Northwest Architects. After seeing Nelson’s previous projects on Houzz, the couple knew he was the right person to create a modern-rustic dream home that would last for generations.
Images by Lucas Henning, except where noted
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Colin and Alisa Sands holiday here with their three children and two dogs
Location: Washington, USA
Size: 223 square metres with three bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms
Architect and designer: Designs Northwest Architects
Builder: Impel Construction
The family chose the valley location for its abundance of outdoor activities year-round, including bike riding and hiking in summer and cross-country skiing in winter. They split their time between a home in Seattle and here, where the kids are enrolled in the local school during the winter months, and the plan is to eventually move to this home full-time. “The focus is family and being together,” says Alisa.
The main goal for the design was “a house that our family could grow into, not just in the next five to 10 years but in the next generation as well,” says Colin.
Watch now: See this fire-resistant rustic home on the latest episode of Houzz TV
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Colin and Alisa Sands holiday here with their three children and two dogs
Location: Washington, USA
Size: 223 square metres with three bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms
Architect and designer: Designs Northwest Architects
Builder: Impel Construction
The family chose the valley location for its abundance of outdoor activities year-round, including bike riding and hiking in summer and cross-country skiing in winter. They split their time between a home in Seattle and here, where the kids are enrolled in the local school during the winter months, and the plan is to eventually move to this home full-time. “The focus is family and being together,” says Alisa.
The main goal for the design was “a house that our family could grow into, not just in the next five to 10 years but in the next generation as well,” says Colin.
Watch now: See this fire-resistant rustic home on the latest episode of Houzz TV
Inspiration and materials
The history of the area includes sprawling ranches and mining. “We referenced the vernacular through materials and the shed rooflines,” says principal designer Matt Radach, who used Houzz Ideabooks to collaborate with the homeowners on design ideas. Alisa and Colin have different design preferences, and the use of Ideabooks helped the couple find a style they both love.
This house references the area’s mine shafts and old barns through its exterior. Think rusted-corrugated siding, tight-knot cedar boards finished to look like old barn wood, concrete, an exposed-steel structure and simple barn lights, which together make up the exterior. Some of the windows and doors are emphasised by 15 x 15-centimetre railroad-tie surrounds. The rocks used throughout the landscape design in the home’s rockeries and gabion walls were dug up on-site during construction.
“We were relatively cost-effective with the materials we used and how we used them,” says Nelson, who estimates the house was built for less than half the average cost per square metre of other homes in the area. The materials and structure are minimalist and clearly expressed in the wide-flange steel posts and beams, seen here, and the exposed Breckenridge plywood sheathing and rafters of the roofline. A water-based finish, Pioneer Wood Patina, gives the cedar an old barn-timber aesthetic.
The history of the area includes sprawling ranches and mining. “We referenced the vernacular through materials and the shed rooflines,” says principal designer Matt Radach, who used Houzz Ideabooks to collaborate with the homeowners on design ideas. Alisa and Colin have different design preferences, and the use of Ideabooks helped the couple find a style they both love.
This house references the area’s mine shafts and old barns through its exterior. Think rusted-corrugated siding, tight-knot cedar boards finished to look like old barn wood, concrete, an exposed-steel structure and simple barn lights, which together make up the exterior. Some of the windows and doors are emphasised by 15 x 15-centimetre railroad-tie surrounds. The rocks used throughout the landscape design in the home’s rockeries and gabion walls were dug up on-site during construction.
“We were relatively cost-effective with the materials we used and how we used them,” says Nelson, who estimates the house was built for less than half the average cost per square metre of other homes in the area. The materials and structure are minimalist and clearly expressed in the wide-flange steel posts and beams, seen here, and the exposed Breckenridge plywood sheathing and rafters of the roofline. A water-based finish, Pioneer Wood Patina, gives the cedar an old barn-timber aesthetic.
Fire-wise principles
Because the house is located in a dry area that is vulnerable to the threat of bushfires, the architects designed the house according to principles of the Firewise USA Program. This program offers guidelines for preparing and protecting homes against the threat of fires. The Okanogan Conservation District, where this home is located, also provides fire-wise landscaping guidelines that were adopted in this build:
Because the house is located in a dry area that is vulnerable to the threat of bushfires, the architects designed the house according to principles of the Firewise USA Program. This program offers guidelines for preparing and protecting homes against the threat of fires. The Okanogan Conservation District, where this home is located, also provides fire-wise landscaping guidelines that were adopted in this build:
- Materials include fire-rated metal roofing, non-combustible metal siding, non-combustible steel support beams, double-pane tempered-glass windows, and doors and an elevated deck constructed from non-combustible materials, including Corten steel.
- Slab on-grade construction – where the concrete slab is poured directly onto the ground without a crawl space below the house – prevents fire from moving under the building.
- Landscaping around the house is kept clear of combustible vegetation and large trees.
- Landscape sprinklers allow the area around the home to be kept moist during fire danger. Instead of combustible mulch, pine straw or plantings, the landscape design incorporates rockeries and gabion walls.
Site plan
The house is orientated north-east towards views of the Methow River, with the Cascade mountains beyond. The garage (pictured here on the right) faces south. It has a bonus room and a half-bath on the second story, as well as a deck that looks out to the mountains on the other side of the valley.
A breezeway connects the garage to the house. This space contains a combined laundry mudroom as well as a mechanical room. The space just beyond it has two guest bedrooms and a guest bathroom, and beyond that are the kitchen, dining room and living room, which look out toward the river.
The home is hooked up to local power and water systems but is also set up to accept solar power in the future.
The house is orientated north-east towards views of the Methow River, with the Cascade mountains beyond. The garage (pictured here on the right) faces south. It has a bonus room and a half-bath on the second story, as well as a deck that looks out to the mountains on the other side of the valley.
A breezeway connects the garage to the house. This space contains a combined laundry mudroom as well as a mechanical room. The space just beyond it has two guest bedrooms and a guest bathroom, and beyond that are the kitchen, dining room and living room, which look out toward the river.
The home is hooked up to local power and water systems but is also set up to accept solar power in the future.
Entrance
The main entrance (pictured here) is on the other side of the house. The garage is just out of view on the left. The door on the left leads into the breezeway, and the grate is for knocking snow off boots in the winter.
For those who don’t enter the house through the breezeway, there’s a dramatic entrance procession past the rugged rock garden, with a clear view through the house to the river and mountains on the other side. Once through the front door, the space opens up to soaring ceilings up to 4.8 metres high and a wall of glass windows across the room.
Watch now: See how this home came together with the help of design professionals
The main entrance (pictured here) is on the other side of the house. The garage is just out of view on the left. The door on the left leads into the breezeway, and the grate is for knocking snow off boots in the winter.
For those who don’t enter the house through the breezeway, there’s a dramatic entrance procession past the rugged rock garden, with a clear view through the house to the river and mountains on the other side. Once through the front door, the space opens up to soaring ceilings up to 4.8 metres high and a wall of glass windows across the room.
Watch now: See how this home came together with the help of design professionals
Echinacea and grasses grow in a rockery along the front entrance walk. The siding is tight-knot cedar.
Image by Jesse Young
The corrugated-metal siding detail continues seamlessly into the house next to the main entrance.
The hallway to the right includes a cushioned window seat that faces large-format games of chess and Scrabble.
The corrugated-metal siding detail continues seamlessly into the house next to the main entrance.
The hallway to the right includes a cushioned window seat that faces large-format games of chess and Scrabble.
Image by Jesse Young
The 1.8 x 2.1-metre Scrabble board and 1.2 x 1.2-metre chessboard use magnetic pieces.
The 1.8 x 2.1-metre Scrabble board and 1.2 x 1.2-metre chessboard use magnetic pieces.
Living room
The entrance opens into this living area, which is open to the dining area and kitchen. The clerestory windows allow a continuous view of the ceiling boards as they extend into the adjacent master suite. Like the siding outside, this room features tight-knot cedar boards. The windows do not appear to have headers along the ceiling. This was accomplished by tucking them up into the ceiling and it echoes the way the corrugated metal met the glass sidelight in the entrance (pictured previously).
The entrance opens into this living area, which is open to the dining area and kitchen. The clerestory windows allow a continuous view of the ceiling boards as they extend into the adjacent master suite. Like the siding outside, this room features tight-knot cedar boards. The windows do not appear to have headers along the ceiling. This was accomplished by tucking them up into the ceiling and it echoes the way the corrugated metal met the glass sidelight in the entrance (pictured previously).
Image by Jesse Young
“One of the homeowners got really into the design process and was very involved,” says Nelson. “He worked with Alpine Welding in nearby Twisp, Washington, designing some of the furniture himself.” One such piece is the TV stand, which is composed of flat mill-finished steel and stained cedar boards.
Flooring
The heated flooring is concrete that has been scored via saw-cutting; the cuts were then filled with grout. This gives the concrete the appearance of large-format tiles. Buffing gave the floors their variation in colour.
“One of the homeowners got really into the design process and was very involved,” says Nelson. “He worked with Alpine Welding in nearby Twisp, Washington, designing some of the furniture himself.” One such piece is the TV stand, which is composed of flat mill-finished steel and stained cedar boards.
Flooring
The heated flooring is concrete that has been scored via saw-cutting; the cuts were then filled with grout. This gives the concrete the appearance of large-format tiles. Buffing gave the floors their variation in colour.
Image by Jesse Young
Kitchen
On the other side of the open space, another set of clerestory windows shows how the roof structure is revealed outside on the porch, in contrast to the way it is covered up by the cedar boards on the interior.
Watch now: Go inside this new-build home on Houzz TV
Kitchen
On the other side of the open space, another set of clerestory windows shows how the roof structure is revealed outside on the porch, in contrast to the way it is covered up by the cedar boards on the interior.
Watch now: Go inside this new-build home on Houzz TV
Image by Jesse Young
Simple walnut cabinet doors add another timber to the colour palette, while cedar boards wrap the island. Note the way the cabinets around the refrigerator are recessed into the wall. The homeowner opted for more cedar boards around the range-hood duct. The splashback is metal and the benchtops are quartz.
“It’s very low-maintenance,” says Alisa. “With dogs and kids there’s nothing better.”
Simple walnut cabinet doors add another timber to the colour palette, while cedar boards wrap the island. Note the way the cabinets around the refrigerator are recessed into the wall. The homeowner opted for more cedar boards around the range-hood duct. The splashback is metal and the benchtops are quartz.
“It’s very low-maintenance,” says Alisa. “With dogs and kids there’s nothing better.”
Image by Jesse Young
Dining room
Double sliding doors open the dining room to views and breezes. The Sands bought the table on Houzz USA, and Colin had a glass sheet fabricated and placed on top, which added 30 percent more surface area.
The homeowners worked with a craftsperson to design the large wine rack in the left corner.
The sliding glass doors and headerless windows at the roofline beautifully frame the view. “We don’t have any pictures on the wall. We think of our windows as the pictures,” says Colin.
On a concrete patch on the grass outside sits a fire pit, which the family uses with caution in months when the fire ban is lifted.
Dining room
Double sliding doors open the dining room to views and breezes. The Sands bought the table on Houzz USA, and Colin had a glass sheet fabricated and placed on top, which added 30 percent more surface area.
The homeowners worked with a craftsperson to design the large wine rack in the left corner.
The sliding glass doors and headerless windows at the roofline beautifully frame the view. “We don’t have any pictures on the wall. We think of our windows as the pictures,” says Colin.
On a concrete patch on the grass outside sits a fire pit, which the family uses with caution in months when the fire ban is lifted.
Master suite
The master bedroom and bathroom enjoy north-east views of the river and mountains. This cedar-wrapped headboard wall anchors the bed as it faces the view. Beyond the double sliding-glass doors is the bedroom’s private patio.
The master bedroom and bathroom enjoy north-east views of the river and mountains. This cedar-wrapped headboard wall anchors the bed as it faces the view. Beyond the double sliding-glass doors is the bedroom’s private patio.
Features such as this large ceiling fan enable the homeowners to do without air conditioning. Though the valley gets hot in summer, the home’s orientation, insulation, wide openings provided by double sliding doors and large ceiling fans keep the air flowing and cool.
One of the homeowners worked with Alpine Welding to create the nightstands.
One of the homeowners worked with Alpine Welding to create the nightstands.
Bathroom
The custom cedar barn door in the previous image leads to this master bathroom; the barn door in this photo leads to the toilet. Repeating the walnut and quartz seen in the kitchen creates continuity. The large mirror reflects the meadow and mountain view.
The custom cedar barn door in the previous image leads to this master bathroom; the barn door in this photo leads to the toilet. Repeating the walnut and quartz seen in the kitchen creates continuity. The large mirror reflects the meadow and mountain view.
The shower does not have a door and is fitted with a cantilevered bench. The bathtub has some of the best views in the house. The large-format concrete tiles (60 x 60 centimetres) play off nicely with the scored concrete floor.
“I love what we have and enjoy it,” says Alisa. “When we come here, every time I think, ‘I am so grateful,’ and I know this is a place we’ll come forever, and our kids and their kids. I think this is exactly where our family needs to be.”
Watch now: See this fire-resistant home on the latest episode of Houzz TV
Your turn
What do you find most striking about the design of this rustic holiday home? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story and save the images. Go on, join the conversation.
More
Want to see more Houzz TV episodes? Don’t miss this My Houzz: Kate Upton Surprises Her Sister With a Home Renovation
“I love what we have and enjoy it,” says Alisa. “When we come here, every time I think, ‘I am so grateful,’ and I know this is a place we’ll come forever, and our kids and their kids. I think this is exactly where our family needs to be.”
Watch now: See this fire-resistant home on the latest episode of Houzz TV
Your turn
What do you find most striking about the design of this rustic holiday home? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story and save the images. Go on, join the conversation.
More
Want to see more Houzz TV episodes? Don’t miss this My Houzz: Kate Upton Surprises Her Sister With a Home Renovation
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Thanks everyone for so many wonderful review and comments !
Dan
Such smart, and beautiful design. I can’t believe it is only 2,400 sq ft. It looks twice that size.
That is just wonderful I love the Methow valley
It is really the place to be
My husband and kids also love it there the outdoors really is something great love it