Case Inlet Retreat is a modern vacation home designed by MW Works Architecture+Design, nestled into a forested slope along the eastern edge of the Case Inlet, in southern Puget Sound, Washington. This small retreat opens to a western view of the Olympic Mountains and the Puget Sound. Anchored by a weathered cedar-clad bedroom wing, a bold concrete cantilever projects the living and dining into the dense forest and toward the view.

An ipe deck slips from inside the kitchen into an open meadow to the south, separated only by large sliding glass doors extending the sense of interior directly to the outdoors. A broad flat roof hovers high above the living spaces creating the feeling that one is sitting outdoors amidst the trees. Smaller, thoughtfully placed apertures define the exterior of the bedroom volume, along with a single large opening belonging to the master bath to give the users a ritual of bathing within the forest.

A balance of clean lines and natural materials, this modest 2,800 square-foot retreat is a welcome sanctuary from the city for just two or the full family.

Photos: Jeremy Bittermann