This Orcas Island retreat designed by Heliotrope Architects is a second home for a couple who own and operate a gallery in Los Angeles, California. The owners retail gallery features a curated collection of west-coast artists.
They desired a retreat with the feel of a contemporary art gallery, with plenty of wall space to display a rotation of their collection while also capturing expansive views offered by the site.
Program requirements consisted of a single living/dining/kitchen area with two bedroom suites with maximum separation — one for the parents and the other for their grown daughter. An accessory studio space and utility room complete the program, with the total area a modest 1,600 square feet.
DESIGN DETAILS: ARCHITECT Heliotrope Architects CONTRACTOR The Green Construction Company
The structure is situated at the top of a steep hill, with views to the southwest and a wetland forest on the side opposite. The main living space is flanked on either side by the bedroom suites, focusing views in an axial manner toward the water and the wetland forest.
Outside, a carport doubles as an exterior space for entertaining in inclement weather and a lower terrace with fire-pit serves as the primary focus for summer leisure.
In response to the owner’s desire for the focus to be on the art and the view, the massing has been developed as a simple box, with a material palette limited to black metal panels and white stucco on the exterior and all white surfaces with Carrera marble countertops and gray concrete on the interior.
Windows are wood, painted black to minimize their visibility. A tight budget was managed through efficient design, simple detailing, and a liberal use of Ikea cabinetry.
What We Love: This Orcas Island retreat in beautiful Washington state offers its owners a comfortable refuge to enjoy their personal art collection and the beauty of nature. We are loving indoor-outdoor lifestyle of this home and the expansive outdoor patio areas to soak in the views that surrounds this dwelling. The serene location of this home is very idyllic and we can imagine this would be an amazing respite from city life!
Tell Us: What do you think of the overall design of this home? Would this be your idea of the ultimate getaway house to relax and unwind? Let us know in the Comments below!
Note: Be sure to check out a couple of other fabulous home tours that we have showcased here on One Kindesign from Washington’s Orcas Island: Dreamy Orcas Island retreat set atop a bluff with coastal views and Timeworn beach cabin maximizes water views on Orcas Island.
PHOTOGRAPHER Sean Airhart
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