The Lakehouse

LocationBerkshires, MA
ScopeFull Design-Build
StyleModern Rustic Luxury
The Lakehouse — exterior at dusk
Dusk exterior, warm window light over the lake
01

From Sketch to Reality

The clients wanted a home on the water. Valerie gave them one — sketching the vision, drawing the plans, and staying with the house from first framing to final landscaping. No handoffs. No lost-in-translation. One vision, carried all the way through.

A rough pencil sketch, done in minutes — just enough to capture the idea. Construction drawings that translated it into something buildable. A finished house that matches the original intent almost exactly, with every elevation, floor plan, and structural detail designed in-house before a single nail was driven.

01

Pencil sketch — lake-facing elevation

Sketch

02

Wingate Ltd. 3D rendering — lake-facing elevation

Blueprint

03

The Lakehouse — finished lake-facing exterior at dusk

Finished

The Lakehouse — great room
Great room, double-height lake view
The Lakehouse — arched doors
Arched interior doors
The Lakehouse — dining and kitchen
Dining and kitchen, open flow
02

The Design

The house was positioned so the grand windows open to the long view of the lake — nowhere is that clearer than the great room, a double-height space where floor-to-ceiling glass frames the water and surrounding hills. Wide-plank floors, an iron ring chandelier, and slipcovered furniture keep the feel grounded and livable. Every room connects back to the water, the woods, and the light.

The Lakehouse — great room with lake views
Great room, glass to the lake
The Lakehouse — great room with lake views
Great room, glass to the lake
She only works with the best, and it shows.Lynn & Sheldon Hanau
The Lakehouse — staircase landing
Staircase landing
The Lakehouse — window nook with lake view
Reading nook with lake view
The Lakehouse — great room from balcony
Great room from the balcony
03

The Result

A home that belongs to its landscape. Dark board-and-batten and natural stone ground the exterior, while inside, the architecture opens up to the lake on every level. Built-in window seats, covered porches, and rooms designed around the view make this a house that changes with the seasons — and looks its best in all of them.

The Lakehouse — French doors open to autumn lake
French doors open to autumn lake
The Lakehouse — rear exterior at dusk
Rear exterior at dusk
The Lakehouse — exterior at dusk
Exterior at dusk, window light
The Lakehouse — covered stone porch
Covered stone porch
The Lakehouse — window detail
Window detail, evening light

From the Homeowner

"We had the pleasure of working with Valerie and Wingate Ltd to build our dream lake house, and the experience exceeded all our expectations. Valerie handled every aspect of the project, from the architectural plans and construction to design and landscaping, with incredible skill and attention to detail. She only works with the best, and it shows — her carpenters, builders and specialty contractors are top-notch. We couldn't be happier with the final product."

— Lynn & Sheldon Hanau

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