Kootenay Lake

This custom home on Kootenay Lake is designed to take full advantage of a sloped waterfront site, nestled amongst the trees and stepping naturally with the terrain. Living spaces and outdoor decks are oriented toward the lake, capturing views and natural light while maintaining a sense of privacy within the surrounding forest.

The exterior combines red cedar shingles with cedar board and batten siding, creating a layered material palette that reflects a timeless lakeside character. This restrained exterior expression allows the home to sit comfortably within its setting, gradually revealing its scale and architectural depth.

Inside, the home opens into a dramatic great room where the full height of the structure is expressed. The ceiling rises to 19 feet, finished in tongue and groove wood and supported by exposed timber beams that draw the eye upward and across the space. The slope and continuity of the wood ceiling create a sense of movement, while the warmth of the material softens the scale, balancing openness with a grounded, intimate feel. This space becomes the defining element of the home, where structure, material, and light come together to shape the overall experience.

Large window walls and sliding doors reinforce this connection, bringing natural light deep into the interior and framing views of the lake and surrounding forest. The living space extends outward to multiple decks and balconies, creating a layered relationship between interior and exterior that supports both gathering and quiet retreat.

The Efficiency of Prefabrication
Building on a sloped lakefront site requires careful coordination. For this project, Tamlin’s panelized system allowed the structural shell to be manufactured in a controlled environment and delivered ready for assembly, reducing on site complexity and improving overall efficiency.

This approach supports a more controlled and predictable construction process while minimizing disruption to the surrounding environment, particularly important in sensitive waterfront locations.