Nearing completion, this family compound on the waters of Puget Sound is built around this great room, designed to enable three generations of family — often numbering over a dozen — to relax, cook, enjoy the outdoor air and beach simultaneously.

The sun-filled great room enjoys a special relationship with the natural environment and beyond with expansive glass walls, subtly subdivided to maintain human scale. A 9’H x 22’W lift-and-slide door glides effortlessly and disappears into a pocket in the exterior wall, providing an unobstructed view of Puget Sound, and access to the 1200 square foot maintenance-free IPE deck at the water's edge.

A few years ago, on a dark and dreary Seattle winter morning, I reached into my sock drawer to pull out any pair of black socks. But instead I grabbed a pair of brightly colored striped socks, and my immediate reaction was to chuckle. And immediately I felt a touch of joy as I smiled.

Planning a custom home is a monumental task. And not every day in the process is cause for celebration. I work diligently to make the process informative, pleasant, and optimistic along the way, and so do the hardworking (striped socks wearing) professionals at Lindal Cedar Homes. The flexibility and predictability of the legendary Lindal building system increases the likelihood of a successful outcome well beyond other approaches.

We designed this special home for a special couple with a clearly defined budget. We kept our eye on cost continually as the design evolved. How did that work?

• The most critical element of cost control is to create a design that minimizes disturbance to the site, reflects the client’s lifestyle and honors the client's budget

• The clients and I created a custom Lindal specification, selecting from an extensive menu of pre-priced Lindal options and knowing the cost of each on their specific design

• Lindal priced the materials with every iteration of sketches and permit plans

See in pictures how this Warmmodern Lindal barn took shape…