This lakeside camp-like home was created by Murdough Design, nestled in a Hemlock-Beech forest adjacent to Squam Lake, New Hampshire. This newly devised guest house transforms the site from a simple lakeside retreat into a three-generation family camp.
The 2,816 square foot structure promotes communion with nature and family, and together with new paths and a sports court, encourages a broad range of outdoor recreational and leisure activities. The design of the guest house draws inspiration from the architecture of the main house as well as its surroundings.
The house itself acts as a wooden shell that gives way to the serene landscape. Extended decks, continuous soffits, a prominent breezeway, and expansive windows and doors work together with the wooden lining to offer a perceptual experience of space and landscape, giving the user a new understanding of the site through the building.
Embedded within the forest, the guest house enjoys views of the lake through stands of trees and lush foliage. The close proximity between the new guest house and the existing main house allows for ease of connection via footpath while maintaining enough distance for privacy.
Expansive custom doors and windows retract to create an expansive screened condition in the living area and bedrooms that offer a full sensory experience of the lakeside woods. Screens similarly retract, transforming the living space into an open pavilion fully eliminating the separation between inside and out.
The open plan of the living space and its extension to the deck beyond fosters social interaction and limits the need for typically larger, separate rooms.
Custom windows allow for natural ventilation and ample daylighting, which combined with the tightly insulated building envelope, minimizes demands on mechanical systems. Similarly, features like heating zone controls and an integral clothesline offer flexibility to limit the building’s energy use.
With a fundamental objective to design for permanence and low life cycle costs, the project invests in high-quality, durable materials, systems, and assemblies such as a copper roof, radiant floor heating system, and custom doors and windows. Locally sourced materials, as well as materials selected from sustainably managed sources, complete the guest house’s material palette.
Western Red Cedar walls and ceilings and American Black Walnut wide plank floors provide a subdued interior that focuses one’s attention toward the outdoors, prioritizing the wooded landscape.
What We Love: This lakeside camp-like home provides a multi-generational family with a retreat where they can spend quality time together. This wonderful oasis is surrounded by peaceful woodlands, promoting a feeling of relaxation and complete privacy from the lake. We are loving the overall concept of this guest house, providing occupants with the opportunity to gather or have alone time when needed.
Tell Us: Would this woodland retreat be your idea of the ultimate escape with family and friends? Let us know in the Comments below!
Note: Check out a couple of other fabulous home tours that we have highlighted here on One Kindesign in the state of New Hampshire: Delightful barn style home in New Hampshire with a cottage-inspired feel and Charming New England hideaway boasts warm and inviting details.
The guest house comfortably sleeps ten and provides generous living spaces by incorporating efficient elements such as built-in storage and seating, pocket doors, bunk and trundle beds, and lift-and-slide windows and doors.
A prominent breezeway cuts through the building, heightening one’s sense of movement and threshold between the tennis court, house, and lake. The breezeway also serves as a buffer for the private guest suite, separating it from the structure’s shared spaces.
To preserve the natural character of the site, tree removal was limited to an absolute minimum, and stringent controls protected trees and root systems. Landscape intervention utilized only native species, most of which were transplanted from elsewhere on site.
Despite the opportunity for a more direct lake view, no trees or vegetation were removed between the house and shoreline to control runoff and preserve the shoreline’s natural character. These lakeside trees provide a windbreak, reducing heating loads in the winter months.
During the summer, tree shade and the use of cross ventilation and ceiling fans eliminate the need for artificial cooling systems.
PHOTOGRAPHER Chuck Choi Architectural Photography
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