The Life Aquatic (continued)
Photo: Fred Albert
To break up the home's boxy mass and lend visual interest to the composition, Carlander varied the exterior palette, wrapping service areas in charcoal-painted aluminum and common areas in flaxen panels of fiber-cement siding. Private spaces are framed in glass—a contrary notion, the architect admits, but one that capitalizes on the connection to the water just inches away. The Petersons profess they rarely close their drapes at night, preferring to sleep with the windows open and shades at half mast so they can listen to the lapping waves and wake to the sight of water between their toes. Besides, Barry notes, "It's an unspoken rule with houseboat owners: You don't stare in each other's windows."
To promote the relationship between the interior and exterior, Carlander exposed the concrete float both inside and out, grinding down the surface so it looks like terrazzo (radiant heat keeps the material toasty underfoot). Since there's never enough storage on a houseboat—and Candice has a weakness for shoes and handbags— Carlander took the rare step of including a basement, which hangs beneath the float and helps stabilize the home.
The Petersons make the trip to Seattle at least once a month. Each time they do, they spend the first evening at home, letting the houseboat serve as a segue between the quiet of the country and the clamor of the city.
"You hear the entry gate close behind you and it's almost like being back in safe little Sun Valley," Barry says. "It really is a cabin on a lake in the middle of the city."
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