transforms an existing outbuilding into a backyard oasis

Tucked beneath a canopy of fir trees, Lake Forest Cottage is a small dwelling that feels expansive — a remnant renewed. What once was a weathered outbuilding is lifted lightly above the ground, resting on piers that respect the roots and rhythm of the site. Within its compact frame the ceiling rises, light gathers, and space unfolds in layers. The building actively breathes through its mechanical system exchanging air, capturing warmth, and conserving energy with quiet precision. Shou-sugi-ban and cedar wrap the exterior in shadow and glow, their textures recalling both craft and nature. Inside the central hallway, clad in clear cedar, invites touch and smooth walls radiate the shifting daylight. The cottage lives gently on its site offering a sense of calm and refuge, where small becomes generous and simplicity feels profound.

Project Completion: 2024
Project Location: Lake Forest Park, WA
Square Footage: 550
Structural Engineer: Quantum Consulting Engineers
Contractor: Swoose Studio
Photographer: Nick Truscello

Blueprint drawing of a small house from four different angles: front, back, left, and right views.

A small modern wooden house with a deck, surrounded by large trees and green lawn, with a pathway leading to the deck.

Interior view of a modern home with a hallway featuring wood paneling and trim, a black front door with a handle and lock, and an adjacent white wall with hooks and hats. A wooden bench is on the left, and a potted plant is visible at the end of the hallway.

View through a hallway into a living and dining area with large windows, trees outside, a staircase, and modern furniture.

A small laundry closet with a stacked washer and dryer inside wooden doors, next to a dining area with large windows revealing a green outdoor view.

View of a bathroom with wooden vanity, round mirror, potted plant, and black hexagonal tiles, seen through a doorway from a wood-paneled room with black hexagonal tiles and a small nook with a bench and hanging towels.

Open concept kitchen and dining area with a wooden table and black chairs in a bright, modern home. The kitchen features light wood cabinets, a black refrigerator, a stove, open shelving with decorative items, and a small window. A living area with a gray sofa, cushions, and a rug is visible in the foreground.

Modern living and dining room with large windows, sliding glass door, wooden floor, beige textured sectional sofa with pillows, black floor lamp, abstract wall art, and wooden dining table with chairs and woven placemats.

Interior of a modern home showing a gray sectional sofa with green and white cushions on the left, a wooden ADD space in the middle with a ladder leading to the upper level, and a kitchen on the right with light wood cabinets, a black stove, white backsplash, and open shelves with dishes and plants.

Modern kitchen with light wood cabinets, black appliances, and a dining table with six chairs near large glass sliding doors showing an outdoor woodpile and trees.

A neatly made bed in a minimalist bedroom with nightstands, lamps, and a window.

Modern bathroom with a walk-in shower with dark green tiles, a glass door, brass hardware, a white toilet, wooden shelves with decorative jars, towels, and plants, and an artwork on the wall.

Green backyard shed with trees around and two garden plots in the yard.

A small teal-colored wooden shed under construction, with large rectangular windows, surrounded by tall trees, and a dirt yard.

Construction tools and pink insulation material in an unfinished attic room under construction.

Interior view of a house under construction with exposed wooden framing and construction tools, including a miter saw, ladders, and various power tools, with a single window showing greenery outside.

Interior of a house under construction with exposed wooden framing, a window, and construction tools and materials on the floor.

A wooden house under construction on a raised platform in a wooded area with trees and string lights overhead.

Interior of a building under construction with wooden framing, stairs, and construction tools on the ground.

Construction site with wooden framing and tools, including a tripod-mounted laser level, scattered around dirt and stacks of wooden pallets, with two Adirondack chairs outside in the background.

Construction site with wooden framing, shovels, tools, and safety equipment, with outdoor trees visible in background.

Construction site with framing and gravel floor, tools, and materials for building a structure. Wooden beams and support brackets are visible.

Wooden framework under construction in a building, with horizontal beams and vertical supports, surrounded by outdoor trees and construction materials.

A backyard with a small wooden house under construction, surrounded by tall trees, a green lawn, a wooden chair, a dog sitting on a cushion, and stacked logs.

Close-up view of construction with wooden beams and metal plates inside a building under renovation, with a glimpse of outdoor greenery in the background.

Wooden framing inside a house under construction with temporary support beams, a red ladder, and visible green trees outside.

Interior view of a house under construction with exposed wooden framing and roof trusses, construction tools, and green trees visible through the openings.

A house under construction in a wooded area, showing wooden framing and blue exterior insulation panels. A ladder leans against a large tree on the left side.

Sketch of a building roof with arrows indicating airflow, green insulation or barrier, and structural elements, drawn on graph paper.

A house under construction with blue weatherproofing wrap, wooden framing on the roof, and three wooden chairs in the foreground on a gravel and dirt ground.

A small wooden house under construction in a backyard surrounded by trees. The walls are covered with blue weather-resistant sheathing, and the roof framing is partly built with wooden beams. Building materials and tools are scattered around the area

A house under construction with a partially installed roof, blue waterproofing sheathing on the walls, ladders, and construction materials on the ground, surrounded by trees and neighboring houses.

Construction of a roof with plywood and insulation in a wooded area.

Dirt task trench with sawed-off wooden planks in a backyard, and a small blue building under construction in the background.

A narrow concrete pathway under construction, with fresh wet concrete poured into the mold, leading towards a blue-building wall in a backyard with dirt ground, some trees, and a wood pile on the side.

A small house under construction with blue weather-resistant sheathing, three large trees in front, and a gravel yard. There are two wooden ramps leading to the house, a stack of firewood in a triangle-shaped woodpile, a wheelbarrow, and outdoor chai

Hand-drawn sketch of a swimming pool with steps leading into it, separated by a diving board, with colored sections indicating different areas or features.

Under construction small house with dark brown siding, blue insulation sheathing, and a sloped roof, with ladders and construction materials outside.

A small, black wooden house or shed with a metal roof, situated among tall trees in a backyard. The house has a narrow window and a door framed with natural wood. Construction materials, including a ladder and tarp-covered items, are visible around t

Interior of a house under construction with exposed wooden framing and construction tools and equipment.

Room under construction with drywall installation, two red ladders, a yellow lifting tool, overhead ceiling framework, and partially finished walls.

A room under construction with new wooden flooring partially installed, with stacked wood planks on the left side, a sliding glass door leading to another room with exercise equipment inside, and a small window above it. The ceiling has recessed ligh

Kitchen under construction with light wood cabinets, a black refrigerator, open shelves, and a small window, with construction materials on the floor.

Kitchen under renovation with unfinished cabinets, tools, and construction materials, illuminated by under-cabinet lighting.

A wooden ladder leaning against a small loft area with wood paneling and a geometric ceiling design in a bedroom or living space.

Empty wooden attic space with wooden sloped ceiling, walls, and floor, with recessed ceiling lights and a small vent.

Wooden attic space with wood paneling, a small opening, an electrical outlet, and a light fixture.

A small modern backyard house under construction with wooden deck, surrounded by trees and construction tools and materials.

View of a newly constructed wooden deck outside a dark-colored house with a glass door and a small window.

A wooden frame with a hinged door is open, revealing a concrete septic tank lid with green paint, partially buried in the ground, beneath the deck.

A small wooden shed with black and natural wood siding, a metal roof, a front door with frosted glass, and a small front porch in a green backyard with tall trees and a wooden fence.

A small modern cabin with wooden and dark exterior, surrounded by large trees and a gravel yard, featuring a wooden deck with steps, and a woodpile on a side