Waterfront Views and Custom Touches Make This Timber Home the Ultimate Gathering Spot

Every square inch of this Nebraska lakefront home is centered around creating an irresistible gathering place for family and friends.

"A key part of the project, from the exterior to the interior, is that we tried to use as many natural materials as possible — materials that age well,” says architect Peter Hind of the home’s heavy timber pine trusses and limestone encased walls.

Photos by Cody Wortmann Courtesy of Sand Creek Post & Beam

How do you get 50 family members to come together? That was the question driving the owners of this Nebraska home, who set out to create a central lakeside gathering place for family — no matter the season or reason.

“It wasn’t about how fancy it could be,” explains Peter Hind, the architect and general contractor. “It was about how would it connect to their family and their life.”

One glance at the floor plan, and it’s clear it was designed with gathering in mind. The main home is actually one of three timber frame structures provided by Sand Creek Post & Beam, which also includes a separate building with sleeping quarters and a party barn with a large entertainment room that also stores lake toys. But from the C-shaped island in the kitchen that seats 12 to a two-table dining room that seats 24, it’s clear the main home is the central gathering space.

The home features a master bedroom on one end and a guest room on the other, with open-concept spaces in between that offer enough room for all to take in views of the lake.

“The heart of the house is the main living space down the middle that connects from the front door to the lake,” Peter says. “It’s a visual connection and a physical connection all the way through.”

Off the main living space, parallel dining spaces frame up two wine cellars, which help mitigate sound between the living/dining areas and the master bedroom.

“The double dining tables are one thing, but then you see the dual wine cellars and they steal the show,” says Cody Wortmann, the executive director of marketing at Sand Creek Post & Beam.

Regardless of which space you’re in or even which structure, one theme ties them all together — a dedication to the rustic materials that boast one-of-a-kind character and timeless quality.

“A key part of the project, from the exterior to the interior, is that we tried to use as many natural materials as possible — materials that age well,” Peter says.

The rough-sawn pine timbers frame a collage of other nature-inspired materials. Limestone on the interior and exterior walls adds texture and echoes the color and character of the stone bluffs just outside the home. Like the timbers inside, the steel for the plates and bolts has been left unfinished. And on the floors, polished concrete not only mimics the color of the sandy beaches outside, but encourages the house to be really lived in. Track in sand, grab a sandwich and head back out for a full day of family fun.

“It’s a house to be used, not a house to be looked at” Peter says. “That’s for sure.”