French Creek Workshops House
FRENCH CREEK WORKSHOPS HOUSE
Wittman Estes
ARCHITECTS
Wittman Estes
BUILDER
Mra Builders
INTERIORS
Wittman Estes
DESIGN PRINCIPAL
Matt Wittman
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER
Geo Group Northwest, Adam Gaston
CIVIL ENGINEER
Lpd Engineering, Jennifer Argraves
LANDSCAPE PRINCIPAL
Jody Estes
ARCHITECTURE
Wittman Estes
PROJECT ARCHITECT
Ashton Wesely
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Josh Welch Engineering
LANDSCAPE
Wittman Estes
PHOTOGRAPHS
Andrew Pogue
AREA
2471 m²
LOCATION
Snohomish, United States
CATEGORY
Houses, Sustainability
English description provided by the architects.
This home for a newly retired couple sits beside a wetland on a four-and-a-half-acre site once used as an animal sanctuary.
Conceived as a serene retreat immersed in nature, it offers comfort and beauty throughout the seasons, sheltering its occupants during the cool, rainy months and opening outward during the dry, warm season.
Designed for aging-in-place and multigenerational living, the single-level plan eliminates stairs, while gentle terracing allows the structure to settle naturally into the sloped terrain. Wide doorways, flush thresholds, and sandblasted concrete floors provide safe, nonslip circulation.
Inside and out, the 2,471-square-foot home reflects the couple's shared life as makers: her passion for gardening shaped the layered, rhythmic landscaping, while his fascination with water inspired the reflecting pools.
Slatted wood screens fabricated by the couple filter light in the living room and enclose the exterior loading dock, while their hand-blown glass artworks animate the dining shelves.
"They wanted the home to be an expression of who they are," notes Matt Wittman. "Now, they can live and create side by side, gracefully and seamlessly."
Interior materials balance artistry and practicality, emphasizing natural warmth and durability. Locally sourced fir and cedar complement terrazzo and concrete surfaces, while reddish-brown soffits and a vivid blue kitchen wall introduce a playful note.
Cast-in-place concrete floors with hydronic radiant heating extend onto patios and walkways, linking interior and exterior experiences. Overhead, a corrugated metal roof with a soft metallic sheen quietly reflects the changing light.
Studios dedicated to woodworking, metalworking, glass art, and other creative pursuits are integral to the home's design.
Linked to the main house by sheltered walkways and gardens, they are positioned to minimize noise and mess while defining a central courtyard. The 1,471-square-foot studio's shed roof lifts toward north-facing clerestory windows, drawing in even, diffused light ideal for craftwork.
Inspired by the ancient Roman impluvium, the courtyard gathers rainwater routed from the surrounding roofs into a series of reflecting pools.
"When it rains, water cascades over the roof edges, sheeting gently into the garden," says Wittman. "Instead of working against the climate, we expressed it, so the owners can engage with it."
Gardens, patios, deep eaves, and the system of reflecting pools knit together the buildings and pathways into a cohesive compound for living and making.
The landscape reinforces the connection to place through a sequence of radiating gardens that transition from cultivated to wild, each maintained by the owners themselves.
The entry sequence begins with a welcoming garden that rises from the drive, guiding visitors toward the heart of the home: the courtyard at its center. Here, nature and daily living come together with ease.
