Architect Brian Mac of Birdseye Design created the Cantilever House in Dunmore, Vermont. Opposites attract in this contemporary style lake house, where dark, dramatic, geometric exterior meets white, clean, minimalist interior. The dual volume house sits suspended in a northerner’s deam, overlooking glassy waters and surrounded by a forest of towering conifers and leafy giants that cast speckled sunlight onto the grounds below. The house itself has a modern edge, featuring two buildings of two stories that are shifted off center, creating a pair of complex cantelevered layouts mirroring one another. Glass walls add to its modern aesthetic while making the most of these breathtaking views. Here’s the grand tour!
The hillside location makes the perfect place to take in the lake views. Both structures enjoy unobstructed scenery, with one sitting higher than the next, and a set of stairs leading through the property and down to the waterfront deck below.
Rather than having one massive monolith taking over this beautiful forested property, the two smaller volumes offer all the living space needed (and then some!) while maintaining a more humble size.
And this smaller stature doesn’t compete with the forest towering overhead. Rather, the design fits comfortably into the bigger picture.
While the house is certainly a star in this setting, the scenery gives it a run for its money, making this lakefront patio the place to be. But that’s not to say you can’t enjoy the view from indoors as well. Some steps back from the deck, a masterpiece enclosed in glass begs to be explored.
Visible through the floor-to-ceiling glazed walls, you catch a peek of the ultra modern interior, awash in white and radiating refined elegant – in stark contrast to what’s on the outside of the glass.
The interiors have a delicate quality about them, especially against the home’s powerful facade.
Interiors are bright white, reflecting the sun streaming in through floor-to-ceiling glass. A minimalist palette of white draping the walls, ceilings and floors. Modern furnishings and lighting add interest to this simple backdrop.
The ultra modern furnishings – a sculptural dining table and the iconic Eames chair – feature organic shapes and grainy wood, adding a refined element of the outdoors to interiors.
The dining table is almost like “taming the wild,” highlighting wood’s most wonderful qualities like its natural grainy patterns and rich color. It’s all shaped into a stunning statue to be used as much as visually appreciated.
Adding yet another contemporary layer to this open concept living area, the cool kitchen features stainless steel appliances, island, bar seating, and hood fan hanging overhead. This difference in style works with the rest of the space, but separates this as a distinct area of the home.
This elegant culinary corner is casual enough to grab a bite on the go, or entertain special guests with the finest wines and a menu to match. While dressed to impress, the surrounding scenery is still quite likely to steal the show.
The kitchen remains open to the rest of the space, allowing for easy entertaining and socializing while prepping meals.
A glass-enclosed office cum spare room is the perfect place to retreat and seek some inspiration via the breathtaking vistas. And, when house guests should manage an overnight invite, they’d be lucky to score this sweet spot to crash for the night.
And how’s this breakfast nook for your morning meal? We’d accept this invitation in a split second! The large windows look outside while one interior window creates the feeling of being is a totally separate volume rather than just another room.
This bedroom is a clean, minimalist space featuring few adornments coupled with massive picture windows – and really, that’s all you need for your entertainment in this nature-inspired haven.
The bathroom is a simple, spa-like space with a floor-to-ceiling glass-enclosed shower, elegant white fixtures including an extra-deep, step-up soaker tub with a large window just above it, replacing the artwork or tile you might find in more conventional bathrooms. Now, this is our idea of a feature wall!
As you make your way from one building to the next, you get a chance to to experience nature first-hand, which you wouldn’t get in a traditional single-volume home design.
At the rear of the home (or, is it technically the front?) a garage offers easy access as you approach the property. Park your car on entry, and make your way down toward the house and the lake just beyond.
By night, the home glows through its great glass walls. Its dark facade simply recedes into the background, resulting in a lovely lantern effect.
Just look out and take in nature’s splendor. The trees offer ever-changing views throughout the seasons, each more beautiful than the last!
Birdseye Design
via Contemporist
