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. 

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.” 

Building with Local Materials: A Labor of Love

“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.”

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.” 

Custom Curves: Crafting a One-of-a-Kind Home

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.”

Sustainable Architecture: Learning from the Past

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.

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.

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