An intimate connection to the environment suffuses every aspect of this lakefront retreat, set amid wildlife and defined by majestic white pines, birch trees and rocky shorelines. Perched on concrete piers and tucked into the slope of a hill, this two-level structure blends into the surrounding landscape with the help of clean lines and elemental building materials. Juxtaposing with the black metal exterior, the indoor spaces exude lightness and luminosity thanks to the warm maple plywood walls, white ceilings and pale grey flooring.

Bedroom feature walls in stained wood are complemented with simple dropped pendants, and this sentiment of modern simplicity continues to the living room’s custom birch-and-metal coffee table for a unifying concept. Vital to this home’s design are the south-west openings that offer brilliant vistas of the lake and sunset skies, bathing the interiors with natural light and lulling this family into a state of melty relaxation.