POINTING DOG RESIDENCE
Completed during tenure at Johnston Architects. Photos copyright of Benj Drummond.
Overview
Pointing Dog is a ground-up modern country home set at the edge of an open meadow, with long views across the valley to distant ridgelines. The architecture is intentionally simple—a clear gabled form, crisp lines, and generous openings—so the experience stays focused on light, landscape, and the ease of moving between indoors and out. A wraparound porch—with porch swings—turns the perimeter of the house into living space, creating shaded outdoor rooms that feel usable from early spring through late fall, and still inviting in winter.
Inside, warmth comes from structure and craft rather than ornament. Exposed Douglas fir beams, joists, and rafter tails are treated as finish, balanced by selective steelwork and disciplined trimless details that keep the interiors sharp and quiet. The project is organized to support the owners’ routines: a 3-bedroom, 3-bath main residence, a detached garage with a workout studio, a sauna outbuilding, and a fenced dog run designed specifically for their two dogs. Personal pieces are integrated as part of the architecture—Tibetan prayer wheels set into a lighter-stained entry niche, and mashrabi Moroccan screens built into the upper-level closets—so the home feels unmistakably theirs. Strong envelope detailing and high-performance glazing support comfort across seasons without changing the clarity of the design.
Project Goals
- Create an open, welcoming home with clean lines, warm materials, and a straightforward plan.
- Frame views intentionally with expansive glazing and a porch designed for real year-round use.
- Support how the owners live with a detached garage + workout studio, sauna outbuilding, and dedicated dog run.
- Celebrate exposed structure while integrating electrical and mechanical systems with visual order.
- Execute a high level of craft through refined steel, precise reveals, and trimless transitions.
- Integrate meaningful owner pieces—furnishings, artifacts, and screens—so the home feels specific and personal.
- Achieve strong energy performance through high-performance glazing and high insulation levels in walls and roof/ceiling assemblies.
- Incorporate resilient, low-maintenance design choices that support long-term durability and responsible building.
Design and Implementation
- Layout/Structural Approach
A simple gabled form establishes clarity and shelter. Living, dining, and kitchen spaces connect without feeling oversized, and the porch wraps the home to create outdoor rooms around the perimeter. Upstairs, vaulted ceilings and exposed rafter tails bring the structure forward; coordination with the structural engineer ensured the framing reads clean and intentional.
- Materials and Finishes
The exterior palette pairs restraint with durability: standing seam metal roof, dark stained cedar siding—including a shingled expression for depth—and aluminum-clad wood windows. Inside, Douglas fir beams and joists remain exposed and celebrated, paired with custom wood doors and Douglas fir cabinetry. Radiant heat supports comfort in every season, with a heated slab below and radiant floors within the framed upper level.
- Energy + Sustainability
Energy performance was integrated from the start through a well-insulated envelope and high-performance glazing. The wall and roof/ceiling insulation strategy improves comfort near large openings, reduces heat loss in winter, and limits heat gain in summer—supporting consistent interior temperatures and lower energy demand across the year.
- Kitchen + Indoor–Outdoor Connection
The kitchen was designed to feel open and connected to the landscape, with the primary sightline anchored on an expansive window that frames the valley beyond. The range is positioned to cook with the view, and the ceiling plane stays clean by avoiding a dominant hood. Instead, we developed a concealed, high-capacity ventilation solution—recessed at the ceiling with an inline fan routed through the exposed structure—so the room reads simple and seamless while still performing at a high level for everyday cooking and entertaining.
- Key Elements
- Wraparound porch with large sliding glass doors that create a generous indoor–outdoor connection and extend living space across seasons.
- Custom freestanding steel stair developed closely with the husband, paired with warm wood treads. Douglas fir 2×2 screen and thin plate steel handrail—minimal, light, and carefully proportioned.
- Vaulted upper-level ceilings with exposed rafter tails, held with minimal steel collar ties to keep the space open and lofty while preserving structural clarity.
- Owner-driven feature moments: Tibetan prayer wheels set into a lighter-stained entry niche; mashrabi Moroccan screens integrated upstairs as focal elements.
- Exposed-structure: warm wood framing celebrated, electrical conduit routed as part of the architecture, not hidden as an afterthought.
- Attention to Detail: flush plate steel base trim and a consistent 1/4-inch shadow reveal at gypsum/wood/steel transitions. Flush “disappearing” closet door with magnetic latch integrated into a wood wall.
- Kitchen design: a slimline recessed, high-capacity exhaust that respects the view and keeps sitelines open.
Challenges
Exposed structure raises the bar for coordination—systems and junctions are visible. Electrical conduit routing required alignment and discipline. Mechanical and ventilation equipment demanded early planning and precise placement, with selective dropped ceilings used only where necessary. The kitchen ventilation strategy was especially detail-intensive: high performance, concealed routing, clean ceilings, and uninterrupted glazing all at once. Trimless and flush conditions required tight tolerances across framing, drywall, millwork, and steel fabrication.
Outcome
Pointing Dog delivers a modern country home that feels both elevated and lived-in. The porch and glazing keep the meadow and views close, while the garage/workout studio, sauna outbuilding, and dog run support routines beyond the main house. Inside, Douglas fir structure, refined steelwork, and precise reveals create a quiet richness—made personal through the owners’ collected pieces, integrated as part of the architecture from the beginning. The result is a home designed for longevity, comfort, and everyday enjoyment in a rural setting.
Location
- mazama, wa
SIZE
- 2,383 sqft
COMPLETED
- 2024
PHOTOGRAPHER
- benj drummond
ROLE
- PROJECT ARCHITECT/ DESIGNER
PUBLICATIONS
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2026 ARCHELLO
2026 ARCHITNET
2025 CONTEMPORIST
