On beautiful Onota Lake in the Berkshires, this modern lake house utilizes classical elements like structural trusses, corner windows, vertical space, and open plans to create a multi-textured, light-filled retreat with views from every room.
This double-height living space is organized around a clear structural and material logic. Exposed timber trusses define the vaulted, 31-foot ceiling, with expressed connections and exposed steel plates emphasizing load paths and joinery. Vertical and horizontal wood paneling is carefully proportioned to align with window heads and rails, reinforcing visual order across the elevation. A large, multi-part window wall and glazed doors are precisely framed in wood to bring daylight deep into the room and establish a direct relationship to the landscape beyond. The restrained palette—natural wood, painted shiplap, and simple plaster—allows the structure and detailing to remain legible, resulting in a room that is both spatially generous and architecturally disciplined.
This entry sequence is conceived as an architectural threshold. Horizontal shiplap cladding wraps the volume to reinforce a sense of continuity and scale, while crisp reveals and substantial trim articulate transitions between planes. The stair is treated as a crafted element rather than a utility, with paneled risers and warm wood treads. A restrained material palette—natural wood, painted millwork, and blackened metal—creates contrast without distraction, allowing light and shadow to animate the surfaces. Carefully framed views to the landscape and adjacent rooms establish a calm, circulation spine that balances precision with warmth.
This light-filled kitchen and dining area is designed as a cohesive gathering space—open, generous, and quietly refined. A custom millwork palette in soft neutrals provides a calm architectural backdrop, while warm wood floors and a substantial dining table ground the room with natural texture. Sculptural lighting creates rhythm and visual continuity from dining to kitchen, reinforcing the sense of flow across the open plan. Thoughtful proportions, clear sightlines, and a balance of modern and traditional details result in a space that feels both elevated and deeply livable.
This second staircase is highlighted by a custom painted mural and reading nook.
The secondary staircase mural extends to the second floor hallway, which is filled with windows and bronze accented sconces and natural wood flooring.
A classic primary bedroom suite with fireplace, corner windows, 12-foot ceilings , classical custom molding, and extensive windows.
The bathroom off the primary bedroom suite, with double sinks, marble countertop, tape lighting in the shower niche, custom tiling, and a built in steam shower with color-controlled lights in the ceiling, uses natural materials and classic fixtures to achieve a spa feel.
A soothing guest bedroom with wallpaper accent wall and multiple windows and custom headboard and classic bronze accents throughout.
Another guest bathroom, complete with marble countertops, custom scalloped tiling, and custom vanity.
