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Time is a funny thing when discussing the Bay House, a curved roof waterfront dream house that was inspired by both a medieval fortress and a dilapidated barn.
“I really wanted to build a home that could withstand winter here; the 80mph winds, the corrosive salt air, all those brutal elements,” said Richard De Wolf, co-owner of the 2420 SF, three-bedroom, three-bath rural home located on 12 acres on Willapa Bay, Washington. “And I wanted it to be handcrafted.”
Crafted it is, from the inception to the details. His wife and business partner, Anne De Wolf, had originally designed the entire home in the New England style, complete with white siding and a metal roof. This idea was scrapped the moment they drove past a rustic feed barn and inspiration struck. She rapidly began scribbling on a napkin and, within 24 hours, the pair were updating their permit applications.
At the center of the home, the kitchen’s generous island and open layout make it easy for the cook to stay connected to guests (and the view) while they work. Tile, Ann Sacks; Cabinetry: Arciform; Spotlights, Old Portland Hardware & Architectural.
Its wraparound deck, dark siding, generous windows and doors and gently-arched roof give this home cozy, welcoming vibes, nestled in the woods.
Riffing off of what Richard said, Anne adds, “We wanted a place that gets better with age.” All the decisions were weighed against how rough usage and elements would improve the materials. The original concept was an unforgiving style, but now anything we incorporated that is a bit rough is actually a positive.” She lists the many details that improve with time, “Stained siding. Unfinished floor planks. Galvanized roof. Even the overhang means no gutters to be filled with spruce needles.”
She explains why this is so important. “It’s not meant to be a pristine or spotless home like you would imagine on a sunny beach. Our beach is interesting. The bay is a seaweed-filled, muddy, sandy beach located within an actual rainforest. There are ferns, grasses, and evergreens. We even have a wetland nature preserve behind us.”

This appreciation for the land and location shaped the design. Originally Richard wanted a stone home but quickly changed tack. He realized he’d have to truck-in rock, meanwhile he was literally surrounded by timber. “Land dictates architecture. A city is different with 50 x 100 lots, but not for property out in nature. Here you can let the wild talk to you. Ideas started flowing the moment we stepped onto the property. We wanted to use materials from the land. We considered the location, the sun, the hills, the weather. All of it has an impact.”
In the early days of the project, the De Wolfs made the most of fallen trees on site, putting Anne’s love of systems to good use!
The small but mighty crew, led by Richard, built this home together, from the footings to the arched beams and from essential systems to the siding that wraps the exterior.
“There’s a lot of talk about green or environmentally sustainable architecture. It’s not new. It’s the old way. People use to only build with whatever local materials were available and did it by hand. So much of what we did to build this home has been done for thousands of years. We’ve only been working with plywood and 2x4s for the past few generations. I didn’t have to learn something new. I had to learn the old ways. There are a ton of books on the subject of timber framing and building with trees. It was like building a 16th century fortress.”
As for the specifics, the De Wolfs were only limited by the size of the trees on the property, which they milled on site to their specifications. They stored the lumber on the property, stacking it high with sticking between each piece to aid in the drying process.
They both agreed the property looked like a lumberyard as they felled, milled, cut, dried, and prepared the wood for their home. But they had a vision. Anne reminisces, “I wanted the simplicity of a rectangle, the drama of curved lines and a symmetrical aesthetic. The previous design that I worked on for years had so much compromise and fussiness. All it took was this moment of kismet. Standing in the pouring rain, looking at an old barn, the entire home design came together in 15 minutes.”
A BlueStar range and custom Arciform cabinets rest in an arched niche with softly shimmering zellige tile from Ann Sacks on the walls.
Up above the great room is a quiet corner, perfect for reading or an afternoon nap.
While Anne’s design may have come together instantaneously, the process of building was a testament to problem solving and organization.
Take the lumber. Anne recounts the multiple piles of wood on their land. “We had a post station. A joist station. Rafter station. Decking station.” They took inventory of the framing lumber, roof rafters, floor joists, then added 10%. “We first had to clear the land where the house would sit. We labeled, felled, and stacked the trees. Once we had the logs, we made bonfires of the bark and branches, and then repeated this process over and over.”
The method and means of building curves speak to the pair’s dedication to their joint vision. Anne explains how the curve creates a domino effect, “If you have a simple straight gable-end roof, there is a nice pitch, so water runs off. The flashing details can be purchased off the shelf. The sheetrock and lumber, gutters, and balustrade—all straight. But add in one single curve and everything must be custom.” She justifies the effort, “Richard doesn’t like sitting around talking. He’s a doer. So, all this work suited him.”
On this Richard laughs and partially agrees. “If you’re doing it for yourself, time is relative. If we had to pay, the hours would be expensive. Curved work is double the labor, if not triple.”
Numerous accommodations and increased awareness were required. The barrel roof had to support a shallow pitch at the top yet shed snow and water. The sheeting was bent to the rafters, but the tighter the curve, the thinner the wood and the more layers that would be required. The beams were one particular element that Richard relished problem solving.
He attempts to explain his process that includes a complicated, engineer-approved combination of rope, compass, and a chainsaw. The end results are arched timber frames that literally ground the entire home. The effect is profound. Altogether, it is a singular, one-of-a-kind dream home brought to reality through the talent and perseverance of both owners.
Generous beds, stacked perpendicularly, comfy quilts, inky walls and a stained glass window for the top and bottom bunk. This is no ordinary bunk room!
The details throughout the home bring the vision to fruition. Anne waxes poetic about the milk paint she used, “I love that stuff! You don’t have to prime; you just brush it on. Plus, it’s very forgiving. There are no mistakes—just sand it. Because it’s water-based, it can be more or less opaque and I love that you can see the wood through it.” Richard appreciates it for an entirely different reason, “It’s an early example of paint. It’s always been around.”
Being able to see the grain of the wood takes on more meaning in the Bay House. Because it’s not just the rough aesthetic one can appreciate, but the labor of love to create it, and the fact the couple who live in it are the ones who dreamed and crafted it from the very land it stands upon.
This is local living taken to an art form.
A relaxing soak in the guest bath is a great way to unwind. Paneling: Lamp Black Milk Paint, waxed, General Finishes. Salvaged sink, Rejuvenation. Copper tub, Signature Hardware. Concrete floor tile, Granada Tile.
A swoon-worthy arched, antique door leads you from the bedroom to bathroom. Milk paint on the walls and natural wood floors and ceiling in the primary bedroom give subtle visual texture.
Door from Bloomsbury Antiques. Diluted Lee Valley milk paint in Snow White on the paneling. Trim in Dunn Edwards’ Milk Mustache.
The December night sky on Willapa Bay
Photo: Terry Haliski
Finney, in his younger days, perched on the edge of the woods above the bay.
Design & Build: Arciform LLC
Photographer: Sara Ligorria-Tramp
Photo styling: Emily Henderson Design
Specs:
* Stain at the exterior wood—Storm Stain; Category 3: color Headwall.
* Clad exterior windows and doors—Oil Rubbed Bronze
* Wall paneling finish uno—Milk Paint by Lee Valley or General Finishes Color “Snow White” at ¾ paint ¼ water.
* Walls above paneling—Tinted Plaster
* Painted Trim—Dunn Edwards Color “Milk Mustache”
* Primary bathroom shower tile—Zellige 4x4 “natural white” from Ann Sacks, Idris by Ait Manos
* Primary bathroom shower head/fixtures—Hans Grohe AXOR Montreaux
* Primary bathroom sconces—Hippo Hardware vintage.
* Primary bathroom vanity— Arciform
* Primary bedroom bed frame—Community Warehouse (used)
* Primary bedroom striped comforter, bedding—Casaluna, Target
* Primary bedroom king comforter and linens—Casaluna, Target
* Primary bedroom lumbar pillow—Threshold, Target
* Primary bedroom milk paint on paneling—General Finishes
* Black guest bathroom wall paint –Milk Paint by Lee Valley or General Finishes Color “Lamp Black” with wax finish.
* Black guest bathroom sink—Vintage find through Rejuvenation with minor alterations to backsplash to fit between windows.
* Black guest bathroom towel “cart”—Restoration Hardware
* Black guest bathroom concrete tile floor—Granda Tile Stars & Crosses
* Black bunk bedroom (w/ perpendicular mattresses) quilts— Rejuvenation,
* Black bunk bedroom sheets and shams—Target, faux leather lumbar pillow—Target
* Black bunk bedroom rug— Rejuvenation
* Kitchen backsplash tile - Zellige 4x4 “natural white” from Ann Sacks Idris by Ait Manos
* Kitchen faucet—Ann Sacks Idris by Ait Manos
* Kitchen range/cooktop—Blue Star—All appliances were purchased from Eastbank Appliances.
* Living room sofa—Scan Design
* Living room coffee table—made from logs from the site.
* Living room arm chair—Manor Fine Wares
* Dining table—Milled from trees from the site.
* Dining chairs—Windsor Workshop
* Dining area chandeliers—Ebay—salvaged from a church
* Sheepskin throws—Ikea and the blanket gifted from a friend.
* Puzzle table chairs/table/chandelier—Table from Bloomsbury Antiques; Chairs from an antique store in Seattle that is no longer in business; chandelier from Hippo Hardware.
* Tall bookcase near puzzle table—custom by Arciform
* Bird’s nest side table—Logs from site
* Bird’s nest rug—Ikea
* Sources for stained glass + any other salvage materials—Stained glass windows and doors by Bloomsbury Antiques; interior wood doors we had collected over the years from projects.
* Large Mahogany Window with integrated door—custom by Arciform
* Kitchen and pantry cabinetry– custom by Arciform
* Storm windows to make stained glass window insulated—custom by Arciform
* Wall paneling, casing, any trim—milled from wood from the site
* Walls that are not paneled—tinted plaster
* Brass sconces in Bird’s Nest—Big Ship Salvage
* Large Spotlights—Old Portland Hardware & Architectural
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Oregon: CCB# 119917 | Washington: ARCIFL *910KJ