Building a Farm Fresh Timber Home at the Shore

Combining design aesthetics can be a challenge, but in this waterside home, a talented architect and skilled timber framer make it look easy.

The two-bay garage comes off the house at 90 degrees, creating a partial front courtyard. The garage doors also feature a timber-framed overhang with a bonus space overhead.

Written by Karen Marley

Photography by Don Cochran, Courtesy of New Energy Works

It’s postcard perfection. Glittering water laps against shores surrounded by bucolic scenery, wooded glens and rolling vineyards; all dotted with enchanting historic towns. This is New York State’s Finger Lakes region. Tiny farm stands perched along lazy country lanes offer up their specialties – maple treats, grapes, baked goods, eggs and fresh-picked produce.

Out here, farm life mingles with lake life, making for a unique culture. Along Canandaigua Lake, one house perfectly captures this special blend. Artfully merging the farmhouse aesthetic with classic lake house design, the home elevates both styles. White clapboard siding and stone lend a fresh-on-the-farm feel, while timber beams offer warmth and a connection to the region’s wooded landscape.

The home’s L-shaped footprint is a strategic shape for the deep, narrow property to ensure lake views for the living room, kitchen, office, bedrooms and main entry. The two-bay garage faces the road with a mudroom and workout space tucked behind. The shape creates a partial front courtyard, and the timber frame walkway ushers guests toward the front entry.

Once inside, a two-story entry sets the tone for Finger Lakes living: simple, fresh, elegant. One is immediately greeted by beautiful lake views and a massive circular chandelier overhead, which lends a sense of sophistication. Shiplap along the stairwell wraps upstairs into the hallway and loft area where bedrooms and bonus rooms offer classic, camp-style coziness.

“The quintessential Canandaigua Lake summer camp cottage was low ceilings and cozy spaces,” explains Peter Heintzelman, the home’s architect and owner of Method Architecture Studio.

The loft takes advantage of the home’s varied rooflines, Peter’s creative solution to meeting local height restrictions. An eye-catching bridge overlooks the entry and stairwell, and black iron railings complete the crisp and modern farmhouse look.

Off the entry are the dining room, living room and kitchen, sharing one expansive space. In here, exterior timber frame details are mirrored indoors, bringing rustic grandeur to the traditional farmhouse-white walls, furniture, fireplace, cabinetry, bar and appliances. The tongue-and-groove ceiling, a popular choice for timber-framed homes, is also painted white, as are the wood-wrapped structural beams that subtly dictate each zone. The timbers harmonize with the stained hardwood floors, kitchen table and other earth-toned furnishings. Black counters add depth to the mostly monochromatic color scheme.

But this house is more than a master class in shorefront farmhouse style. Universal design, which prioritizes accessibility, influences both form and function. For example, the primary suite is on the main level and its shower requires no step to enter — a safer (and stylishly sleek) option.

Smart, strategic storage is also quietly at play in the design: Expansive kitchen windows did not leave much room for storage, but a chic back kitchen steps up to the plate.

“The main floor is the primary living environment, and the kitchen is right-sized 80 percent of the time,” Peter explains. “When the kids are home in the summer, the kitchen and house ‘grows’ with them.”

Like any proper lake house, this one boasts an enclosed porch, connecting indoors and out. While the interior beams are strictly ornamental, the porch, exterior walkways and overhangs are true timber frame structures.

“We developed a custom finish with a nice warm, walnut brown for a crisp contrast,” says Eric Fraser, president of New Energy Works, the outfit responsible for the home’s structural timber elements. “It makes the timbers pop.”

The king-post truss with a curved bottom chord softens the appearance. It also complements the curvature of the overhead wood boat, a family heirloom. Rectangular flagstone pavers and the live-edge picnic table complete the room’s relaxed, natural feel. A statement fireplace on the opposite side of the room keeps things cozy and happy. The space connects to the house with a 5-foot sliding pocket door that, when left open, invites fresh lake breezes into the home’s interior.

“This room has the perfect feel for a Finger Lakes house aesthetic,” Eric says. The curved timbers are echoed in the exterior knee braces that also feature a decorative center element mimicking a king post. The overhangs are modest. At approximately 4 feet, 6 inches, they’re just big enough to create a protected space for watching summer rain storms and taking in all the other elements that make this lake house a dreamy place to live: outdoor gathering space, a dock for the boat and the ever-changing moods of Canandaigua Lake. It’s the best of all worlds.