丨美国丨Wittman Estes

Architects:Wittman Estes

Area:2471m²

Photographs:Andrew Pogue

Landscape:Wittman Estes

Structural Engineer:Josh Welch Engineering

Builder:MRA Builders

Interiors:Wittman Estes

Civil Engineer:LPD Engineering, Jennifer Argraves

Geotechnical Engineer:Geo Group Northwest, Adam Gaston

Category:Houses,Sustainability

Design Principal:Matt Wittman

Landscape Principal:Jody Estes

Project Architect:Ashton Wesely

Architecture:Wittman Estes

City:Snohomish

Country:United States

Text description provided by the architects. This home for a newly retired couple sits beside a wetland on a four-and-a-half-acre site once used as an animal sanctuary. Conceived as a serene retreat immersed in nature, it offers comfort and beauty throughout the seasons, sheltering its occupants during the cool, rainy months and opening outward during the dry, warm season.

Designed for aging-in-place and multigenerational living, the single-level plan eliminates stairs, while gentle terracing allows the structure to settle naturally into the sloped terrain. Wide doorways, flush thresholds, and sandblasted concrete floors provide safe, nonslip circulation. Inside and out, the 2,471-square-foot home reflects the couple's shared life as makers: her passion for gardening shaped the layered, rhythmic landscaping, while his fascination with water inspired the reflecting pools.

Slatted wood screens fabricated by the couple filter light in the living room and enclose the exterior loading dock, while their hand-blown glass artworks animate the dining shelves. "They wanted the home to be an expression of who they are," notes Matt Wittman. "Now, they can live and create side by side, gracefully and seamlessly."

Interior materials balance artistry and practicality, emphasizing natural warmth and durability. Locally sourced fir and cedar complement terrazzo and concrete surfaces, while reddish-brown soffits and a vivid blue kitchen wall introduce a playful note. Cast-in-place concrete floors with hydronic radiant heating extend onto patios and walkways, linking interior and exterior experiences. Overhead, a corrugated metal roof with a soft metallic sheen quietly reflects the changing light.

Studios dedicated to woodworking, metalworking, glass art, and other creative pursuits are integral to the home's design. Linked to the main house by sheltered walkways and gardens, they are positioned to minimize noise and mess while defining a central courtyard. The 1,471-square-foot studio's shed roof lifts toward north-facing clerestory windows, drawing in even, diffused light ideal for craftwork.

Inspired by the ancient Roman impluvium, the courtyard gathers rainwater routed from the surrounding roofs into a series of reflecting pools. "When it rains, water cascades over the roof edges, sheeting gently into the garden," says Wittman. "Instead of working against the climate, we expressed it, so the owners can engage with it."

Gardens, patios, deep eaves, and the system of reflecting pools knit together the buildings and pathways into a cohesive compound for living and making. The landscape reinforces the connection to place through a sequence of radiating gardens that transition from cultivated to wild, each maintained by the owners themselves. The entry sequence begins with a welcoming garden that rises from the drive, guiding visitors toward the heart of the home: the courtyard at its center. Here, nature and daily living come together with ease.

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