Remodeling Guides
Architecture
Photo of the Week: Refuge on the Open Plains
A large ranch house in Eastern Washington embraces the solitude of the quiet prairie
When you live in an area as isolated as these homeowners, privacy no longer becomes an issue. This home is located in the middle of 50 acres of pasture and prairie in Eastern Washington's Kittitas County. Seattle-based architects Bosworth Hoedemaker wanted this home to harmonize with its surroundings. The structure lies flat across the blank landscape, while windows on the entire front of the house welcome the outside indoors.
The interior of the house mainly consists of one large great room. Steep ladders on either side lead to loft spaces lit by single windows. Window seats near the fireplace offer views of the expansive grassland.
The watchtower near the house is outfitted with a below-grade wine cellar and sleeping benches for guests. A paved pathway leads from the entry of the tower directly to the entrance of the house, leading guests to their beds after an evening in the main residence.
The front of the house is entirely transparent, but is set back from the porch, allowing for a sense of privacy. The doors leading out to the porch fold accordion-style. This extends the great room into a screened-in space in the summer. As the sky gets darker, the house starts to glow, becoming visible from far distances.
More photos of this home: