A Confident Quiet Beauty
IN THE WORLD OF LUXURY HOMES, IT’S THE EXTROVERTS THAT DEMAND ATTENTION
These showpieces are typically perched on top of hills or inserted into viewscapes to stand out from their surroundings.
Discover, instead, the elevated sophistication of simplicity and a thoughtful approach to design. Like a true introvert, an agrarian-inspired abode on Cayuga Lake is as much defined by what you don’t see as by what you do.
First Impressions
What is visible in this lakefront home, by architect, Dan Long, is gorgeous. Located on a property with more than 200 feet of shoreline, the home strikes an attractive pose, mingling contemporary and rustic elements that work with the region’s agrarian history.
The homeowner says, “This house is not like any other house around us. It’s understated. It has a sense of place. It belongs.”
Elongated timber frame knee braces accentuate the wrap-around, covered front entry porch, which cleverly spans the structure’s corner. A mix of stone and Thermory ash cladding are capped with a roofline that reinforces the modern-rustic design with a monoplane porch roof and steep gables elsewhere.
Industrial essentials fuse rugged and modern elements. Selected to naturally rust and build a patina, a Corten steel half wall looks like a planter but serves as a receptacle for the rain chain, and a barrier to the adjacent rock garden.
“It’s a functional architectural element,” explains builder and owner of Rode Homes, Sam Rode.
The home is built into a slope resulting in an interesting profile enhanced with artisan-level retaining walls. Constructed with large format porcelain tile that looks like beadboard, the retaining walls merge into the contemporary landscape design, by Joan Lanier Landscape Design, contributing dimension and appeal. Stainless steel rods and wood railings atop the walls appear at ground level when viewed from the entry. Viewed from the north, the entire home looks like a single-level ranch.
Designed to Disappear
What isn’t immediately apparent is how the entire entryway exemplifies universal design. The lower level is wheelchair accessible and works like an in-law suite. As an age-in-place structure for empty-nesters, the homeowner’s elderly parent can enter the lower level and access the upper floor with an indoor elevator. Located near the stairs, two posts are the only visible reminders that a lift exists. The top of the elevator’s housing matches the home’s white oak floorboards. Sam brought in a master painter to apply a faux finish to the trim ring so that when the elevator is lowered, it’s camouflaged into the floor.
Two of the lower level’s four bedrooms have sliding glass doors and all are treated to gorgeous views. Heat splits allow each bedroom individual temperature control. Even the heat registers are faux painted to disappear into the home.
With the primary suite located on the upper or main level, the entire main floor provides single-level living for the homeowners, a key feature of age-in-place design. In the primary bedroom, the automatic window blind rolls up into a hollow wood beam. “Sam had very good trades on this house,” says the homeowner. “The simplicity in this house is very sophisticated.”
Breathtaking Beauty
Without the distractions of the home’s more mechanical features, interior aesthetics exude upscale style. Decorative timber frame elements bring visual warmth and extend through the great room and primary suite. The absence of window and door trim emphasize the interior’s modernity, and 10-inch baseboards underscore a polished appearance.
To reduce volume in the great room, the vaulted ceiling was capped and ribbed in decorative wood beams, hinting at the shape of the region’s many barns. Herringbone beveled porcelain tiles around the fireplace wrap around the mantle. An office positioned off the great room hides a loft hidden behind a waist wall and sliding door, accessed by a ship’s ladder. Because the office features f loor-to-ceiling windows, lake views from the loft are particularly spectacular.
Numerous exterior living spaces meld organically into the design. There’s one for every mood and type of weather. The upper deck provides a luxe hangout space with a timber-framed roof system, outdoor television, and custom Corten steel gas fireplace. The stacked wood is there for aesthetics. An exterior grilling and dining area is positioned off the kitchen. The lower patio features built-in bench seats, a fireplace, and an outdoor television with a custom gray stucco wall. An outdoor shower is located just off the patio.
Accessed from the patio, a third deck provides another spot to spend time near the lake. That deck is the top of the boathouse, where all the lake toys are stored.
The homeowner observes, “With this house there’s a certain amount of rightness you don’t even see, but it takes brainstorming, thought, and collaboration to achieve the simplicity we were looking for. Simple is more difficult.”