Lake Washington Residence by Studio Zerbey Architecture + Interiors
Lake Washington Residence sits between the Burke-Gilman trail and the water in Seattle, WA, United States, by Studio Zerbey Architecture + Interiors. The house stretches across a rare double lot, pairing tall lakeside glazing with layered decks and a green-roofed volume that answer both the shoreline setting and the region’s gray, wet seasons. Inside, a warm modern character frames everyday family life against the changing light on the lake.
Morning light slides across the lake and catches on the low-slung roofs, their cedar soffits glowing against the water. From the yard, broad decks and tall glass stitch together views of boats, distant hills, and the house’s layered interior rooms.
Lake Washington Residence is a custom house in Seattle, WA, United States, by Studio Zerbey Architecture + Interiors. Set on a rare double lot between the Burke-Gilman trail and the lake, the project keeps roughly to the footprint of the former structure to preserve the south-facing yard and satisfy strict shoreline rules. Indoor life orients outward, with every level organized around water, weather, and the gentle gradient down to the dock.
Shaping The Lakefront Edge
From the water, the house reads as a three-story stack of glass, fiber-cement panels, and warm wood, its low slope roof lifting toward the south. Rebuilding the detached garage allowed the architects to carve out a green roof terrace above, softening the view from upper rooms while adding planted area back to a tightly regulated site. Concrete retaining walls step down toward the bulkhead, creating platforms for outdoor seating and play rather than a single hard edge against the lake. The composition keeps mass close to the original footprint, leaving generous lawn to the south and maintaining neighbors’ view corridors.
Balancing Trail, Neighbors, And View
Living areas face the lake with large panes of glass and sliding doors, yet the house maintains privacy from adjacent homes and the popular multi-use trail behind. Window placement along the side yards stays carefully edited so that long sightlines carry over the water rather than into next-door decks. On the uphill side, solid wall segments and the garage buffer the interior from activity on the trail while clerestories admit high light. Moving through the rooms, occupants track the sun across the lake instead of the bikes and joggers just beyond the property line.
Layered Outdoor Rooms For All Seasons
A series of covered decks extends daily life outside during the region’s wet, gray months. Directly off the main living level, one broad terrace runs along the water side with enough depth for dining and lounge furniture, while the overhanging roof shields it from drizzle. Below, a shaded patio connects to the yard, giving kids a dry zone near the grass even on damp days. Toward the east, the original lawn remains as an open field, while an elevated south lawn steps up to a more intimate fire pit ringed by planting and low walls.
Warm Interiors Framing Water
Inside, exposed wood beams, built-in shelving, and muted blue-green cabinetry lean into a calm, modern Pacific Northwest palette. The open kitchen, dining area, and living room share a continuous floor, so conversations carry easily from island stools to sofa while the lake fills the view through full-height glass. In the main bedroom, corner glazing and a private terrace make waking up feel connected to the shifting water and morning fog. Downstairs, a tiled bath with a vertical blue pattern opens to a wood-lined sauna, turning cold plunges in the lake into part of a daily ritual.
Working With Regulations And Terrain
The project navigates shoreline codes, environmentally critical area designations, and non-conforming conditions inherited from the earlier house. Geotechnical analysis shaped how foundations step into the slope and where retaining walls hold the grade, so the structure sits confidently between hillside and lake. By rebuilding in place rather than pushing outward, the house respects regulatory limits while reserving generous outdoor areas and access to the dock. The result is a clear conversation between building, trail, and water that feels tuned to this particular stretch of Lake Washington.
As daylight fades, reflections double the house in the surface of the lake, while the green roof and planted terraces blend back into the darkening hillside. Inside, warm wood ceilings and soft fixtures glow against the glass, and the sound of water carries up from the dock. Life here runs along the shoreline, shaped quietly by weather, regulations, and the narrow band of land between trail and lake.
Photography courtesy of Studio Zerbey Architecture + Interiors
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