Tellico Lakehouse

The Tellico Lakehouse is located on a densely wooded lot that slopes steeply down to Tellico Lake.  This project’s relationship between site and architecture was a great way for us to preserve the history of the site while also allowing the home owners to enjoy every aspect of it.

The site had an old roadbed leading to the water, which is where much of the project began to develop. The new driveway follows the old roadbed, then continues as a path beneath a bridge that connects the main house to the guest house, and creates a native stone path to the lake. The major public spaces of the home- the living room and the outdoor rooms- open up to views of the water and small forested islands beyond.

The wooded lot created several interesting challenges in the design process. Many of the trees on the site are several feet in diameter and, with careful planning, most were preserved. Because of dense tree foliage around and above the house, a dormer along the south side lets light into a double-height hallway, brightening all of the rooms that open onto it.

The house sits firmly in the site on a stone base and is clad in horizontal cedar siding and cedar shingles. A significant amount of landscaping and terracing around the house connects the public spaces with the forest and, through the old roadbed, connects the front of the house to the back.

Creating a symbiotic relationship between the site and architecture allowed us to achieve a beautiful result which the homeowners can enjoy for years to come.