DeForest Architects has designed this striking modern hideaway nestled into lush plantings on a bluff, boasting sweeping views of the ocean in Seattle, Washington. Tucked below the main house, this guest house encompasses 3,502 square feet, with three bedrooms and five bathrooms. Built at the convergence of several environmentally sensitive areas, it therefore required a light touch on the land.

The solution was to cantilever the main living spaces of the structure 32 feet over a creek and its bank. Plantings around the home are mostly native, featuring colorful blooms and evergreen shrubs that surround the seaside patio, along with mature-growth trees and shrubs extending past the home and into the forest.

DESIGN DETAILS: ARCHITECT DeForest Architects CONTRACTOR Lockhart Suver INTERIOR DESIGN Lucas Interior LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT SCJ Studio STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Swenson Say Faget

From above the site blends seamlessly into the surrounding landscape, neighboring homes seeing only the lush planting of the green roof and the sea beyond.

The paver patio features a gas fire pit with comfortable seating to host gatherings. This outdoor oasis enjoys breathtaking seaside views. The paving pattern is custom and contemporary, using large-scale and linear pavers integrated intricately into the concrete driveway. Granite steps and gabion basket walls enhance the rugged setting, while their precise, clean design reflects the home’s architecture.

What We Love: This modern hideaway provides a comfortable respite to host overnight guests. Living spaces were designed with a refined yet simple and welcoming aesthetic that guests may never wish to leave. We love the concept of the cantilevered main living area to protect the environmentally sensitive areas of the site. Not only does it present a great solution from a construction perspective, but it also looks architecturally pleasing.

Tell Us: What are your thoughts on the design of this guest house retreat? Let us know in the Comments below!

Note: Check out a couple of other amazing home tours that we have highlighted here on One Kindesign in the state of Washington: This Shou Sugi Ban house beautifully blends into Washington’s woodlands and Inside this dreamy mountain retreat in the breathtaking Cascade Mountains.

Above: The staircase bisects the public and private wings of the upper level with a transparent mesh railing that almost disappears as you ascend towards the view from the cantilevered dining and living space.

PHOTOGRAPHER Benjamin Benschneider, Meghan Montgomery