Courtyard House With Lake Views

The Courtyard House is located on the sandy shores of Lake Michigan in the quaint beach town of Saint Joseph. It was built by the American firm John Ronan Architects and is quite large, 465 square meters. Let’s look at it.

Located on the waterfront, the house has a wooden facade and rooms set around outdoor courtyards. Together, the four courtyards form a private outdoor area and offer strategic views of the adjoining houses to maintain the feeling of isolation and privacy. The outside terraces also frame the view and provide a degree of privacy.

An entrance vestibule that leads into an open plan dining and living area in which glass sections offer views of the water and a lighthouse. The public zone is connected to a partially enclosed deck that overlooks the vast Lake Michigan, one of America’s Great Lakes. Right next to the kitchen there is an inner courtyard where all the daylight can be received. In the northwest corner of the house is the master suite and study, which are lit by soft natural light.

The palette of materials and colors in the home was influenced by the surrounding landscape, including sand, stone, and driftwood. Charred Douglas fir was used for exterior walls and referred to the campfires on the beach. The burned wood is also resistant to rot and insects. For certain parts of the facades, textured glass planks were used, which are commonly referred to as canal glass and are reminiscent of the green beach glass that washes up on the shore.

The furniture is contemporary and laconic, it seems to be tailored to the space – there is no unnecessary piece and everything is in perfect harmony. All furniture offers a high level of comfort and the color palette does not distract from the view.