The Coyle

Located on a long peninsula extending south into Hood Canal, this vacation house for a Seattle family draws inspiration from its site and the owner’s Danish roots. Using the clean, economical forms and materials of the classic Danish sommerhus as inspiration, three gabled structures totaling 1700 square feet are carefully integrated with the site to maximize its two distinct views. The simple forms, clad in dark stained cedar, sit quietly in the landscape, straddling the transition between dense Douglas fir and a small meadow that falls abruptly to the water.

The main living functions are split into two structures, offset and turned to orient primary rooms to specific views and rejoined at a common entry. The living room opens to the expansive southern view of Hood Canal. The master bedroom, pushed to the west edge of the meadow, frames a more intimate view of the Olympic Mountains and harbor, lightly filtered by neighboring firs. The site’s original structure was moved, remodeled and reoriented to the views southward and serves as a bunk house while defining the entry and edge of the site.

Embracing quiet Danish modesty, the interior of the house is clean and economical with minimal trim and a lightness that stands in direct contrast to the exterior. White walls, pine floors and wood windows and doors create a warm tone within the airy, vaulted spaces, while darker elements refer back to the muted exterior. Cost-effective French doors open interior to exterior, extending the primary living spaces out to adjacent decks and the meadow beyond, while numerous operable windows provide plenty of natural light and ventilation.