When you have a plot of land that speaks to you, it deserves a home that speaks to it—that respects and cherishes it. Our clients are drawn to the way our homes embrace their natural surroundings, whether it’s a winter retreat tucked away in the mountains, an island summer home, or a relaxing lakefront cottage. These homes enhance the experience of the landscape by weaving the beauty of nature into daily life.
At Turkel Design, our architects employ design principles and material solutions to create homes that immerse their inhabitants in their surroundings. Wrapping an open great room in retractable glass is a preferred approach—when those glazed walls slide into pockets, and the breeze flows through the space, the experience is magical.
Here are three such homes, each in its own unique setting.
Valley Views
The land surrounding Aspen Valley Home is so breathtaking that the owners sought to build a home in which they could experience it from every room. “The aspiration was, ‘How can we create something that is respectful of the place and adds to it rather than takes away from it?’” says the owner.
Located in a remote valley in the Rocky Mountains, the home called for a great room capable of capturing the views of the surrounding ridgeline. The generous space is enveloped in glass on three sides. Double-pane lift-and-slide doors invite the scenery in while keeping the cold out. The result is a home in which the drama of nature is on view all year long. “It’s a pretty special thing because throughout the year, we’ll have the doors open to get the fresh air and hear the river,” says the owner. “We hear the birds, elk, and other wildlife passing by. There’s even a fox that visits every night.”
He describes their guests as being entranced as they watch the sun set over the ridgeline during dinner and cocktails. “Each room has its own incredible view of the landscape,” says the homeowner. “The goal of creating a home that integrates with nature was accomplished beyond our expectations.”
An Ocean Overlook
Perched on a bluff at the western edge of Martha’s Vineyard, Veil House is organized around an open living space with retractable walls of glass on two sides.
The home was commissioned by a visual artist and a doctor, who dreamed of design that fostered both creative inspiration and physical wellbeing. Now, in their new home, they have developed a daily morning coffee ritual of retracting the glass into pockets, breathing in the sea air, listening to the sounds of the ocean, and marveling in the restorative experience of being protected by the elements, while becoming one with their land.
The glass enclosure enables this peaceful summer retreat to be equally receptive to visitors. The space above functions as a screened porch while subtly separating a guest suite from the primary living spaces. This maintains both a sense of privacy for guests and access to the experiential benefits of the home’s design: the transient beauty of the sun shining through the slatted screens, the flow of ocean air, and the connection to this remarkable corner of the island.
Lakeside Perch
Summers on Lake Muskoka in Ontario, Canada, have a unique magic. City dwellers from Toronto and elsewhere escape to the lake for swimming, boating, and other warm-weather activities. The lakefront Muskoka Cottage honors this tradition through design that complements rather than competing with the tranquility of its location.
With 24-foot walls of glass on two sides and motorized insect screens, the large great room is a modern update of the vernacular screened-in porch, or “Muskoka Room,” in which visitors bask in the joys of Canadian summers. Because the home is positioned on the steepest portion of a sloping site, this Muskoka Room is literally elevated; lounging in this space feels like floating among the trees. For urbanites in search of summertime sanctuary, the flow of breezes off the lake and through the great room—coupled with expansive views of the shimmering lake—takes on a therapeutic quality.
Design for the Land You Love
Whether in the mountains, on an island, or by a lake, each of these homes was built because its owner fell in love with the location. By surrounding the primary living spaces in durable, energy-efficient glass doors, we ensure that each home feels like it couldn’t exist anywhere else. To live in these homes is to enjoy the comfort of high-quality materials and design while experiencing a sensory connection with the beauty of nature.
If you’re ready to live in a beautiful home designed for the land you love, please contact us.
