Family Woodland Lakehouse.

Set on the wooded shores of Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region, this family lake house began with a home built by the family in the 1970s. As the family grew, the original house could no longer accommodate the gatherings that had become part of life on the lake. The new home was conceived not simply as a larger house, but as a place that could adapt to the changing rhythm of family life—from quiet weekends for two to summer gatherings of twenty or more.

The design carefully balances the scale of a large family home with the intimacy of a retreat. Spaces can open to one another for large gatherings or be closed down to create smaller, more private moments, allowing the house to feel comfortable regardless of how many people are there. The home is nestled into the existing woodland and set back from the lake, creating a quieter presence within the landscape while maintaining an expansive connection to the water. Floor-to-ceiling windows, generous doors, and a four-season room extend the living spaces toward the lake and make indoor-outdoor living an integral part of the experience.

Arrival is an important part of that connection to place. The approach through the woods culminates in a view through the front door, where the homeowners can see their sailboat framed against the lake beyond—a simple, personal moment that establishes the relationship between home, family, and landscape from the moment of arrival. Throughout the house, carefully framed views, flexible gathering spaces, and connections to the outdoors create a modern lake house that honors the family's history while giving the next generation a place to gather, reconnect, and make memories of their own.