Front exterior view of the Lakeside Retreat zoomed in on the entryway.
Front exterior view of the full Lakeside Retreat including a garage connected to the right side of the home, surrounded by trees

Lakeside Retreat

Initially a getaway cabin, this family’s idyllic waterfront property was transformed into their year round home. After years of dreaming and visioning, the property owners were ready to replace their quaint rustic cabin with a permanent, lakeside retreat for their family.

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Lakeside Retreat

Initially a getaway cabin, this family’s idyllic waterfront property was transformed into their year round home. After years of dreaming and visioning, the property owners were ready to replace their quaint rustic cabin with a permanent, lakeside retreat for their family.

Beginning with our clients’ desire for a modern aesthetic, we situated the program spaces on the property based on their relationship to the surrounding trees, the lake and the approach from the road. We intentionally oriented spaces to connect to the lake through existing view corridors through the surrounding trees. The main volume contains the most public areas of the home creating a large gable form that runs from the main entrance to the expansive lake view.

The main entry of the lakeside retreat greets visitors as they arrive with the more private bedrooms housed in a smaller volume to one side and the garage located off to the other. The garage wing (a two-story structure with plywood clad utility spaces below for a workshop, indoor play area and boat storage) creates a visual buffer from the neighboring home. The waterfront home design also utilizes sustainable design elements including geothermal heating and cooling and SIP panel roof construction.

The largest space in the heart of the home–living, kitchen and dining–feels both grand and welcoming with close attention to every detail. It’s most striking feature being the custom engineered steel and douglas fir trusses. Natural wood tones and handmade tile in the kitchen paired with warm light fixtures in the living area create a retreat-like gathering space in the center of the home. A floor to ceiling pocket door separates the light filled pantry from the open kitchen when desired. The more private primary suite off of the main living space contains a bedroom, custom closet, secondary laundry space and bathroom complete with steam shower and soaking tub. Interior spaces throughout the lakeside retreat are connected seamlessly to the outdoors through a large windows and a massive multi-panel sliding door that opens onto a screened porch with views into the ever-changing canopy of trees just beyond the dwelling’s walls.

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Completed

2020

Team

Shelter, Schaper Engineering, Owners

Accolades

2023 AIA MN Homes by Architects Tour

Photographer

Spacecrafting

Front exterior view of the Lakeside Retreat zoomed in on the entryway.
Front exterior view of the full Lakeside Retreat including a garage connected to the right side of the home, surrounded by trees