A stunning prefab lake house built mostly of wood in rural Connecticut

Prefab cross-laminated timber lake house in Connecticut viewed from the dock at dusk, with kayaks in the foreground

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All-Wood, All the Time, is a beautiful wood-wrapped, CLT, and prefab lake house designed by OPAL Architects in rural Northwest Connecticut. The house is built almost entirely using cross-laminated timber (CLT). The cross-laminated timber (CLT) home challenges conventions of residential construction.

Sustainability objectives and new technologies inform an approach to construction which in turn informs a design aesthetic, arriving at solutions defined by function, durability, and sustainability to achieve passive house-level performance, ultra-low embodied emissions, and interiors that prioritize occupant health and well-being.

DESIGN DETAILS

ARCHITECTURE OPAL
INTERIOR DESIGN Stedila Design
CONTRACTOR Country Homes Construction
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Thornton Tomasetti
MECHANICAL ENGINEER Andrew McPartland
LANDSCAPE Ground & Kent Greenhouse
LIGHTING Viabizzuno

Products / Brands

Thermory Thermally Modified Ash Siding
Uni-Lux Windows and Doors
Tesla Solar Tile Roof and energy storage
KLH Cross Laminated Timber Wall & Roof Structural System / Interior Wall & Ceiling Finish
Canova Casework and Closet Accessories
Miele Appliances
Viabizzuno Lighting
Fredericia Living Room Sofa
FAIR NY Side Table
FN Furniture outdoor seating
Zehnder ERV
SpacePAK HVAC System
Gutex Wood Fiber Insulation
Woodnotes Rugs
Kitchen Faucet & Outdoor Shower MSG taps

Daytime aerial view of prefab cross-laminated timber lake house in Connecticut reflected in calm water

Wood is the most sustainable building material we have. Because it produces itself using only solar energy and sequesters carbon throughout its lifespan, wood contributes relatively little to a building’s carbon debt (the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere in its production).

Cross-Laminated Timber Structure and Ash Wood Siding

Exterior of prefab Connecticut lake house with weathered cedar cladding and slate roof

That quality, plus the fact that wood is an infinitely renewable resource, make it OPAL’s material of choice for a wide—and expanding—range of applications. This lakefront residence represents a significant step forward in that regard. With a cross-laminated timber (CLT) structural system and wood fiber-based products for all of its above-grade insulation, it is as close as we’ve come yet to an all-wood building.

Dark slate roof detail with cedar cladding and triangular skylight cutout above the Connecticut lake

Designed to replace a seasonal cottage on a south-facing lot wedged between the road and the lakeshore, the building was subject to strict limits on its footprint and overall height. We responded to those constraints with a single-level design that concentrates its volume in a combined kitchen, dining, and living space.

View across landscaped grounds to the detached CLT studio near the Connecticut lakefront on a misty day

Two super-efficient private spaces—a primary bedroom suite and a study/guest room with a second bath—spread out to the west and east, respectively. A stepped façade gives every major space a view of the lake.

Front entry of prefab Connecticut lake house with cedar cladding, cantilevered canopy, and granite path

The house’s complex geometry posed a challenging test case for CLT construction, but careful detailing enabled the architects to specify prefabricated solid-lumber panels for the building’s structural walls, ceilings, and roof.

CLT Living Room With Vaulted Ceiling and Lake Views

CLT interior living room with vaulted ceiling, skylight, Eames lounge chair, and lake views through floor-to-ceiling windows

Left exposed on the interior, the panels also constitute the finish surfaces at the walls and ceilings. This solid CLT building shell is encased with rigid wood fiber insulation boards—yielding a Passive House level of energy efficiency—and sheathed in prefinished ash siding and exterior trim.

Geometric CLT skylight well with angled timber panels casting dramatic shadows

Because the shell has no conventional stud or rafter cavities, utility runs were affixed to the exterior of the CLT panels, and the insulation boards were carved and fitted around them. To minimize dependency on the power grid, the project incorporates Tesla’s Solar Roof and Powerwall technology to generate and store electricity.

Cross-laminated timber living room with white sofa, Eames lounge chair, and panoramic lake view

What We Love About This Home

This prefab lake house shows what’s possible when you commit to a single material. Every wall, ceiling, and roof panel is both a structural element and a finished surface, eliminating the visual noise that comes with conventional construction. The warm, honey-toned wood interior is deeply calming, made even more striking against the big lake views. From the Murphy bed guest room to the detached lakeside studio, every detail is perfectly suited to lakeside living.

Tell Us: What do you love most about this prefab Connecticut lake house? Share your thoughts in the Comments below. We love reading your feedback!

Note: Be sure to check out a couple of other incredible home tours that we have showcased here on One Kindesign in the state of Connecticut: A breathtaking lakefront house nestled in the scenic foothills of the Berkshires and Connecticut lake house designed to maximize its privileged location.

Open-plan dining and living room with CLT ceiling, colorful Eames chairs, skylight, and lake views

Dining table with multicolored Eames shell chairs against CLT wall panels

Open-Plan Dining Room and Kitchen

Dining area with Eames chairs and white kitchen in a CLT-paneled gable-roofed room

CLT-lined entryway leading to a minimalist white kitchen with a blue Eames chair

Recessed brass pull handle detail on a cross-laminated timber sliding door

Bedroom With Murphy Bed and Built-In Bookshelves

CLT bedroom with Murphy bed folded up, revealing red sofa and built-in bookshelves

Murphy bed with red headboard and built-in bookshelves in a CLT-paneled bedroom

Close-up of a brass and glass globe pendant light hanging in front of built-in bookshelves

Owner’s Bedroom Suite With Forest Views

CLT bedroom with platform bed, red and blue pillows, built-in shelving, and garden views

Bedside detail with brass reading lamp, succulent, and stacked books on a wood nightstand against a CLT wall

Brushed metal threshold strip at the base of a CLT wall meeting a concrete floor

Hidden electrical outlet recessed into a metal box flush with a CLT countertop

Mosaic Tile Bathroom With Floating Vanity

Modern bathroom with floor-to-ceiling gray mosaic tile, floating vanity, and wall-hung toilet

Three stainless shower controls against blue and gray mosaic tile with a yellow soap dish

Lakeside Terrace and Private Dock

Lakeside terrace of CLT house in Connecticut with yellow chair, stone wall, and private dock

Rear terrace of prefab CLT lake house at dusk with open living area and detached guest studio beyond

Detached CLT Studio With Skylight and Fold-Down Desk

Prefab CLT writer's studio with bifold glass doors open to a stone patio surrounded by trees

Interior of CLT lakeside studio with built-in daybed, skylight, brass pendant light, and fold-down desk

CLT studio interior with corner skylight, built-in bench seating, and fold-down CLT desk

CLT studio workspace with wall-mounted brass pendant light, fold-down desk, and tall skylight window overlooking the main house

Brass and black wall-mounted pendant light against CLT wall panels beside a large window

Weathered cedar cladding detail with clerestory window reflecting lake and interior pendant light

Detached prefab CLT guest studio at dusk with corner glass doors and stone retaining wall

Dry-stacked stone retaining wall with a raw timber bench along the lakefront landscape

Ash-Clad Garage With Tesla Powerwall Storage

Cedar-clad prefab garage with glass garage door open to reveal a Tesla and Powerwall batteries

Cedar-clad prefab garage with glass door open at an angle, Tesla inside, and bicycle leaning against a stone wall

Weathered cedar studio outbuilding with large glass sliding doors on a gravel path

Tesla electric car beside a cedar-clad outbuilding with a stone retaining wall and fern plantings

PHOTOGRAPHER Trent Bell Photography